Parabens have been a vital ingredient in skin care and natural beauty products for decades as they are used for their excellent preserving properties. More likely to be found in antiperspirants, skin care creams or body sprays this ingredient which has been used for years is now being labeled the cause of many cancers primarily breast cancer.
There are six commonly used forms of parabens used (Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, p Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, n-Butylparaben and
Benzylparaben) and it is estimated that they are used in at least
13,200 cosmetics products. According to the lead researcher of the
recent study in Reading and Edinburgh, oncology expert at the university of
Philippa Darbre parabens were found in 18 of the 20 tumors tested indicated that they originated from something which was applied to the skin.
Parabens are primarily used and are not used in the beauty industry. They are also used in many, food and pharmaceutical products to which we are exposed to. They are used and permitted as preservatives in food up to 0.1%. In cosmetics, parabens are permitted in concentrations of up to 1%. A 1995 survey of 215 cosmetic products found that parabens were used in 99% of leave-on products such as skin creams and deodorants and in 77% of rinse-off cosmetics such as shampoos, soaps etc. Although this seems to be a long time ago it would be still be safe to say that the products you are using contain parabens, unless you are already aware of the risks associated.
Parabens were considered safe for many years though this has changed with scientific research now saying otherwise. There is now strong evidence that parabens have a direct effect on the hormonal reproductive systems.
Parabens can be ingested through food, absorbed through the skin and inhaled. When they are ingested through food they have a limited effect on the body though when applied to the skin they are generally in much higher levels and there is a much higher chance they will be absorbed into the body.
Once parabens are in the system it upsets hormonal system by mimicking oestrogen, the hormone which is responsible for promoting cell growth. Without going into too much depth oestrogen is essential for the health of women though it must be naturally produced by the body. They also require another hormone called progesterone which the body will always try to maintain a delicate balance between these two oestrogen and progesterone. Though when something upsets this hormonal balance this can cause a wide array of health issues.
There has been a well known relationship between the role of oestrogen and breast cancer and with this parabens upsetting the hormonal balance mimicking the action of the female hormone oestrogen. One of the most commonly used beauty products is on a day to day basis is deodorant. The majority of breast cancer is on the part of the breast which is closest to the underarm where we apply these antiperspirants and deodorants. Furthermore, the percentage of breast cancers that has occurred has increased from 31% in 1926, to 60.7% in 1994 with only 5-10 percent of these case known to be genetic the only other cause of this rise can be down to lifestyle changes. This and the fact that parabens were found in18 out of 20 tumours tested indicating that parabens stay intact once entering the human body accumulating over long periods with the resistance to breaking down and also that they are stored in breast tissue.
Not nearly enough research has been done on the harmful effects of parabens, this is mainly due to a lack of funding. There does not seem to be any interest to fund more research from the cosmetics industry, from governments or from so called ‘health organizations’.
However, the researchers that have dedicated their time to this subject have shown a clear relationship between deodorants antiperspirants and breast cancer.
