Lifestyle Fashion

Paraben-free products – What are parabens? How to avoid the dangers caused by them?

How do you know if your personal care products are paraben free? Here are some helpful tips on how to prevent parabens from being absorbed into your body. First, let’s find out what paraben is so we can better understand why we should avoid it.

So what is paraben?

It is a synthetic chemical compound widely used as a preservative in most cosmetic products. It is an ester of para-hydroxybenzoic acid. You can always find them in shampoos, moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, skin care creams, skin tanning solutions, and even toothpaste.

Some of these microorganisms exist in nature. Blueberries contain a small amount of paraben, although nothing indicates that they are harmful when the berries are eaten. In fact, blueberries are considered rich in many antioxidants known to help us fight free radicals that damage our cells.

The type of paraben used in cosmetic products and some medications is produced synthetically. Many studies have already indicated that parabens can cause breast cancer, hormonal balance disturbance and many allergic reactions.

UK study

Chief among these studies is the one conducted by researchers at the University of Reading, UK. Published in 2004, the research showed that parabens are found in substantial amounts in subjects’ breast tumors. It was assumed that the parabens in underarm deodorants might have somehow migrated into breast cells and possibly caused the development of tumor cells.

The most common forms of paraben commonly found in many personal care products are methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben, and butyl paraben. Try checking out some of your personal care products now and see if any of these forms of parabens are listed as an ingredient.

To tell the truth, the studies carried out so far on paraben and its relationship with some identified diseases do not contain conclusive evidence. In fact, the medical and scientific community is divided on whether parabens actually promote the development of tumor cells in the breast, for example. However, this is not to say that you shouldn’t be on the lookout for parabens.

These reports are somewhat alarming considering that parabens are widely used in most personal care products. In fact, it should be treated as nothing less than a potential risk. At this time, there is an agreement between the manufacturers on the prohibition of the use of parabens in their products. Well, that remains to be seen if the compromise continues to be heeded.

Fortunately, there are a handful of companies that produce only natural skin care products, etc. These products contain ingredients that were taken from nature and are known to cause no side effects. The proliferation of a dizzying number of skin care products should make you more careful when choosing.

Products that contain parabens are also likely to contain other harmful chemicals, such as mineral oil, alcohol, and fragrances. The fragrance alone could be any one of 4,000 synthetic scents suspected of being carcinogenic.

Knowing how widely used paraben is amidst the myriad products that continue to flood the market today, it must always be a challenge to sift through them every time. If you are really health conscious, you need to choose only products without parabens.

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