Parabens

Uses: Parabens are generally used as a preservative in everything from cosmetics, to sunscreen, deodorant, toothpaste, hair products, and SO much more- basically, personal care products. In fact, it’s estimated that 75-90% of cosmetics contain parabens. In addition, some forms of parabens were approved in the ‘70s to preserve food products – Can you believe we are still following chemical guidelines from the ‘70s??

Human Risks: A CDC study found that 90% of Americans who were tested for parabens had been exposed. This is an issue because parabens often act as an “endocrine disruptor”. This means that parabens can affect the systems in our bodies that produce hormones, which can cause a variety of effects. Studies have linked paraben exposure to infertility, reduced reproductive development in men and women, and negative birth outcomes (such as pre-term labor and birth defects).  This happens because parabens block signals in the body that produce estrogen and testosterone.  Parabens can also increase your likelihood of getting cancer, especially breast cancer for women because of the way it impacts hormones and its ability to cause genetic mutations. A minor effect can include skin irritation. Studies have shown that exposure to parabens will also speed up the rate at which breast cancer cells form, so if you have cancer, parabens could decrease your odds of survival.

Environmental Risks: Studies have also shown that these toxic effects on humans translate to the environment. They can harm coral reefs, which are a crucial part of ocean life (read about coral reefs in my “explore” section).

Avoid: Parabens are generally a preservative, so look for products that say natural preservatives. Also products that contain milk, water, or other liquids are more likely to have preservatives, so avoiding those types of products could decrease parabens exposure as well. The following  are the 6 forms of parabens, so look out for them in your products: 

Methylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, propylparaben, benzylparaben, butylparaben.