Hazards of Paraben

Parabens are a group of chemical compounds used as preservatives in foods and cosmetics. Despite their status of "generally recognized as safe" and their long history of use in these industries, many consumers go out of their way to avoid them because of the possible health hazards associated with long-term use. Parabens are commonly found in nonperishable products that line grocery and drug store shelves. They are also identified in product ingredients lists as butylparaben, ethylparaben, heptylparaben, methylparaben, and propylparaben.

Allergic Reactions

• A small percentage of the population has an intolerance of parabens. An allergic reaction to parabens may manifest itself as a rash, redness or irritation. Paraben allergies can also cause contact dermatitis -- a blanket term for persistent skin irritation caused by contact with an allergen -- and rosacea, a chronic skin condition characterized by redness.

Long-Term Health Hazards

• The major controversy surrounding parabens stems from a 2004 Scottish study that found and examined trace amounts of the substance in 20 sample malignant breast cancer tumors. Given the observed ability of parabens to mimic estrogen, a naturally occurring hormone that has a role in the development of breast cancer tumors, some scientists have correlated exposure to parabens with increased cancer risk and have made a call to investigate the possibility of a causal link between the two phenomena. While the limited scope of the study cannot conclusively identify the cause of the breast cancer as paraben exposure, the lead molecular biologist of the research team noted that the type of parabens found in the tumors is found in commercial health and beauty products, such as underarm deodorant. The location of the tumors was also similar, as they were found in the upper quadrant of the breast, near the underarm, which could indicate that long-term use of paraben-containing commercial beauty products could increase an individual's risk of developing breast cancer.

Ability to Mimic Estrogen

• Parabens can fairly weakly mimic estrogen, acting as xenoestrogens, or "foreign" estrogens, as found by one 2001 University of Reading study. Research scientists found that the estrogenic activity of butylparaben was 100,000 times weaker than estradiol, a sex hormone produced naturally by the human body but also used in some oral contraceptive pills. The estrogenic activity of the butylparaben was also only observable at doses approximately 25,000 times higher than the amounts used in commercial beauty and food products. In 2005, a safety assessment sponsored by Burdock Group, a food safety and regulatory compliance consulting company, in collaboration with Women's Health Science Institute Inc. of Vero Beach, Florida, found that the low concentration of parabens in commercial food and beauty products, combined with the low probability that the substances will accumulate in tissue to a toxic level, indicate that parabens should continue to be "generally recognized as safe."

Sun Exposure

• A 2006 Japanese study found that methylparaben applied externally to the skin could react negatively with the sun's UVB rays, increasing the rate and severity of skin aging and contributing to skin damage. It should be noted that, possibly paradoxically, parabens are added to many commercial brands of sunscreen and facial moisturizers.

Avoiding Parabens

• For consumers who wish to err on the side of safety and avoid parabens as much as possible, it's usually as simple as reading ingredients lists. Any ingredient that includes the "-paraben" suffix indicates the presence of a paraben. Parabens are most frequently found in antiperspirants, deodorants, facial and body moisturizers, sunscreens, shampoos and conditioners. Alternative products sold in health food stores or online frequently indicate paraben-free formulas on their labels. Also look for "sensitive skin" formulas, which may omit known irritants such as parabens. It should also be noted, however, that the same 2005 safety assessment in Florida, using evidence from research trials on rodents, showed that parabens are readily absorbed, metabolized and excreted, suggesting that they do not accumulate in living tissue over time.