What Are They?

Parabens are a family of synthetic preservatives widely used in cosmetics around the world since the 1920′s because of their efficacy, low risk of irritation, and stability.  They are effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, including most fungi and most bacteria, and prevent growth of other possible contaminants such as yeast and mold. 

Parabens are used as preservatives in many thousands of cosmetic, personal care, food and pharmaceutical products to which the human population is exposed. Beginning in 1998, studies in rats began to uncover that parabens had estrogenlike properties. Even though the findings uncovered a weak form of estrogen, it was there. Thus began the wave of media attention and debate.

At issue was the following critical point: If parabens can bind to estrogen receptors and cause an estrogenlike effect, will this contribute to the formation of cancerous cells? Most scientists agree that when ingested, parabens are metabolized and lose their ester group, making them mimic estrogen less strongly. But what happens when they are contained in topical products?

The Darbre study

In 2005, Dr. Phillipa Darbre’s, study on parabens found in cancerous breast tissue became a turning point for the causal relationship between breast cancer and parabens found in cosmetics. Her study reported that parabens were found in 18 of 20 samples of breast tumors, and indicated that they originated from something applied to the skin, the most likely candidates being deodorants, antiperspirants, creams, or body sprays.

But the researchers themselves noted some crucial facts: The study was small, there were no controls, normal breast tissue was not studied to determine comparative data, no other parts of the body were studied, and the source of the parabens was not identified – they could have been from food or medicines and not cosmetics.

It is important however to recognize that the presence of intact parabens in tumor tissue shows that these chemicals can be absorbed through the skin and accumulate in breast cancer tissue in their original form, without being degraded as what occurs when parabens are ingested.

You Eat More Parabens than You Apply

Parabens in numerous consumables, including fruits, vegetables and drinks are found in much higher concentrations than those in cosmetics. Some everyday items replete with parabens and endocrine disruptors include soybeans, carrots, peanuts, corn, strawberries, blueberries, black tea and green tea, to list only a few. Many of the parabens found naturally in foods do have an estrogenic effect when tested. Yet, parabens found in cosmetics are 100,000 times weaker than estradiol, the estrogen naturally produced by the body.

Supportive Findings

Many respected organizations—government and otherwise—have released findings supporting the idea that parabens in topical cosmetics are not a danger to consumers.

• The ACS. The American Cancer Society (ACS) has concluded, based on its research findings, that there is not good science to support a claim that the use of parabens in cosmetics can increase an individual’s risk of developing breast cancer.

• The FDA. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began studying the effects of parabens in response to the outcry of their potential estrogenic effect and link to breast cancer. The FDA states that parabens are safe for use in cosmetics, and it also says that, based on the weight of all the current scientific evidence, there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of products containing parabens.

• The CIR. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), an organization that reviews and assesses the safety of ingredients used in cosmetics in an open, unbiased and expert manner, consolidated more than 265 studies in The Journal of Toxicology that noted women’s daily cosmetic regimen using products that contain parabens caused no adverse reproductive effects and confirmed the safety of parabens.

• SCANCOS. Because the issue of parabens is still a controversial one, the Scandinavian Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCANCOS) presented the latest round of studies regarding parabens in 2009. The goal was to determine if there was an estrogenic and harmful effect to humans from parabens. This study confirmed the results of a number of other research studies that concluded parabens are metabolized rapidly by the body and therefore cannot exhibit any adverse effects.

A study in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology claimed that, in order to obtain an estrogenic effect from parabens, which could be potentially harmful, the dosage would have to be 25,000 times higher than that used to preserve products.

Friendly Conclusion

The overall conclusion is that parabens are safe to use in cosmetic products at the concentrations generally used. When compared to most other preservatives, parabens have an excellent safety record.

Where do you stand on the paraben debate?