You have probably heard that parabens in skin care can be harmful to your health.
But what about the environment?
With Earth Day around the corner, it is common to think twice about our choices, from what we eat in what we buy in what we put on our skin.
If you are not already avoiding Parabens for health reasons, read below. We explain why these ingredients are also harmful to our planet and how consumers can help the pressure manufacturers eliminate them forever.
What are parabens in skin care?
Parabens are a group of synthetic compounds that are widely used as preservatives in cosmetics, personal care products and even some foods and medicinal products. They first introduced in the 1920s to help prevent the growth of bacteria and mold in water -based types.
Their antimicrobial properties make them effective in expanding life, but recent research has doubts about their safety, especially when used daily or on a daily basis.
Why Parabens in Skin Care?
Parabens are cheap, easy to use and effective in maintaining products fixed and free from infection, making them an easy choice for many personal care and cosmetics manufacturers. They have been a key element in makeup, moisturizing products, hair care products, shaving products, facial and skin cleaners, deodorants, toothpaste, sunscreen and more for decades.
Recent studies have triggered alarms, questioning the safety of parabens. To date, however, they are still widely used and considered legal by regulators such as the Food and Drug Administration (Fda). As the organization says on its website, “the FDA has no specific rules that apply only to cosmetics conservatives.
This means that according to the Federal Act of Food, Drugs and Cosmetics (FD & C), cosmetic products and ingredients, in addition to color additives, do not need to be approved by the FDA before they proceed.
It is against the law to market a cosmetic if it is “distorted”, which means that cosmetics should be safe for consumers when used according to instructions. However, this does not take into account the possible cumulative effects of using these products over and over for decades.
Are the Parabens in skin care harmful to people?
Although authorities have long considered Parabens safe, the latest investigations have questioned this belief.
A 2004 study published in Newspaper of applied toxicology They were found paralyzenically in the tumor tumor, creating concerns about their potential joint with breast cancer. This study did not prove this Parabens caused Cancer, but emphasized how they can accumulate in the body over time.
A 2021 study Girls for 6-17 years said that the exposure to Parabens was associated with reduced concentrations of circulating reproductive hormones, “suggesting that these chemicals could change the growth and function of the endocrine system into girls”. One later 2023 study She also found a connection between parabens and breast cancer in black women.
This concern is based on the fact that parabens are endocrine divided chemicals (EDCs), which means they can change the function of hormones in the human body. To one 2022 studyResearchers have noted that parabens may interfere negatively on certain goals of hormones related to breast cancer.
A 2024 study At Parabens he noted that parabens can change the hormone and immune function and have been linked to hypersensitivity, obesity and infertility. Other similar study He found that the parabens “were significantly associated with the high risk of blood pressure and changes in blood pressure”, suggesting that environmental exposure to parabens can increase the risk of high blood pressure.
The Disease Control and Prevention Centers (Cdc) Try Parabens to people and found information on the “wide exposure” among Americans. In addition, females had several times higher concentrations of two parabens-methylparaben and propylopen-from males. The CDC noted these results “probably reflect the greatest use of products containing parabens”.
However, CDC and FDA continue to argue that the effects of human health from exposure to Parabens are “unknown”. The revision of the cosmetic ingredients (CIR) examined the subject in 2006 and was determined, along with the FDA, that there was no need to change the basic rules that “the parabens are safe to use in cosmetics”. The FDA also allows manufacturers to add single or multiple parabens to food or food packages to avoid deterioration.
How do Parabens hurt the skin care?
It is not just human health that can be damaged by exposure to high levels of parabens. Recent research also shows that these chemicals may be harmful to the planet.
The parabens do not disappear after rinting our hair from our face or shampoo. They enter the water supply system, where they can insist on the environment and influence wildlife – especially aquatic species.
A study published in Science of the total environment He noted that parabens are widely present in water sources worldwide, mainly due to their use in personal care products, medicinal products and food. Researchers have found concentrations of parabens exceeding 100 micrograms per liter in sewage treatment plants and surface water. Even drinking water sources “have typical concentrations below” 6 micrograms per liter.
Parabens in water supply systems interfere with the hormonal systems of water organisms, affecting growth and growth. They can also be mixed with chlorine into water treatment systems to create chlorinated parabens, which are even more toxic and create increased risk of animal health and human health.
Scientists publishing in Scientific reports He noted that parabens “contaminate the environment, penetrate living organisms and adversely affect various internal organs”. In another study, scientists found that more than 93 % of the dairy cows tested showed evidence of parabens in their hair.
Parabens “can penetrate the natural environment”, scientists wrote, “and because of their widespread use in the industry, they are often found in surface and tap water, in the ground, in the air and in dust in all continents, even in Antarctica.” They continued to declare that Parabens easily penetrates humans and animals through the digestive system, respiratory system and skin.
In 2021The researchers published another study that set the alarm on Parabens in the environment and human health. They tried the levels of products, people and the environment and found that the rates of detection were “high”, while levels vary largely by country (higher in the US and EU countries) and the Paraben type. They also found that pregnant women had higher concentrations of parabens than the general population.
How do I help?
The good news is that, due to consumer pressure, many companies are already avoiding Parabens and using other alternatives as preservatives in their products. This means you can make the difference!
Small, daily changes in your personal care routine can help reduce not only your Parabens exposure but also the amount released into the environment. Over time, we can continue to influence beauty companies to be more conscientious about the ingredients they use.
See how you can help:
Read your labels
Check the ingredient lists of all your products for the presence of parabens. Look for anything that ends in -paraben (methylparaben, propyloparaben, etc.). If you see such ingredients, consider going to a safer alternative.
End: All CV Skinlabs are free from parabens and other potential irritants and toxic ingredients! Read about our commitment to safe ingredients here.
Select products without Paraben
Look for products that are specially free of paraben or clear beauty certifications. Buy with companies interested in the ingredients they use. CV Skinlabs is one of them – all of our products are free from parabens, synthetic aromas, hard chemicals and known irritants.
Support of pure beauty brands
Choose companies that prioritize transparency, non -toxic ingredients and environmentally friendly practices. Many brands also use sustainable packaging, compositions without cruelty and environmental procurement.
Limit waste waste
Only buy whatever you need, use the products completely before throwing them away and recycle the containers when possible. (All CV Skinlabs products are recyclable!) Less waste equals fewer chemicals entering the environment.
Train and share
Spread the word to friends and family for the importance of avoiding harmful chemicals for your health and planet. Earth Day is a great day to start the conversation.
Are you aware of whether there are parabens in your skin care?
Suggested Picture by Polina Tankilevitch through Pigeons.
