THE DANGERS OF PARABENS

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

The everyday preservative doing you damage.

Parabens are a common preservative found in lotions, shampoos, body wash and cosmetics. Parabens aren’t just bad for our skin — they can cause serious health issues. In fact, some countries have banned products containing parabens. Denmark was the first to outlaw parabens in products made for young children in 2010, with the rest of the EU following suit in 2013.

.

THE DETAILS

Parabens & the endocrine system.

Parabens are endocrine-disruptive chemicals which are absorbed into the bloodstream and affect many of our body’s natural functions.

The endocrine system consists of glands that produce and release hormones which control important body functions like your heartbeat, bone and tissue growth, as well as your ability to reproduce. Endocrine disruption can lead to many health problems such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, thyroid disease, sexual dysfunction, infertility, and numerous other hormone-related disorders, as well as breast cancer.

Parabens & children.

Babies and young children are especially susceptible to the effects of endocrine disruption. Exposure from a young age can result in greater disruption to their growth and development and lead to learning disabilities and growth disorders, in addition to the other health risks.

The endocrine system consists of glands that produce and release hormones which control important body functions like your heartbeat, bone and tissue growth, as well as your ability to reproduce. Endocrine disruption can lead to many health problems such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, thyroid disease, sexual dysfunction, infertility, and numerous other hormone-related disorders, as well as breast cancer.

Parabens & pregnancy.

According to Dr. Michele Brown — a Connecticut Obstetrician and Gynaecologist — women should be concerned about the estrogenic activity of parabens. Parabens prevent the breakdown of estrogen, she says. “The placenta makes a lot of estrogen. Here, you’re applying products that also have estrogen in them.”

Brown is especially troubled by the lack of knowledge regarding how parabens and other chemicals affect the developing fetus. “There’s no aisle in the pharmacy where pregnant women can go and say, ‘Aha, this is safe and effective for both myself and my child.’”

The endocrine system consists of glands that produce and release hormones which control important body functions like your heartbeat, bone and tissue growth, as well as your ability to reproduce. Endocrine disruption can lead to many health problems such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, thyroid disease, sexual dysfunction, infertility, and numerous other hormone-related disorders, as well as breast cancer.

.

DO THE CHECK

Here’s what to look for.

Check the ingredients list for common parabens like butylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, methylparaben (butylparaben and propylparaben are on the Danish and European Commission danger list). These are sometimes listed by their chemical names — butyl hydroxybenzoate and propyl hydroxybenzoate.

Cetaphil, QV and many other branded commercial cleansers are guilty of using methylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben. They also contain propylene glycol — a chemical to help absorption through the skin into the body. This means even more of the parabens and unwanted harmful chemicals in these products are absorbed into your system.

If you look at the list of Cetaphil ingredients, it’s just water with seven chemicals — three out of eight are parabens, together with SLS. That’s one dangerous concoction.

.

THE GREAT NEWS

Paraben-free skincare is here.

You wouldn’t eat processed or artificial food to stay healthy — the same goes for your skin.

At The Soap Haven, all our soap is paraben-free. It’s one of the reasons we specialise in soap bars instead of liquid soap. Bars do not spoil easily and therefore do not require preservatives such as parabens. It’s worth the small change in habit to switch from liquid to bar soap once you realise the dangers of parabens to your health

Shop Now

REFERENCES

1. Time Magazine: Parabens Outlawed in Childrens’ Products in Denmark | TIME.com (http://healthland.time.com/2010/12/22/parabens-outlawed-in-childrens-products-in-denmark/#ixzz2reiv52to)2. EU to ban selected parabens in cosmetics (http://www.sophytopro.com/#!EU-To-Ban-Selected-Parabens-in-Cosmetics/oupyl/56c582e90cf2c75daa845b0f)3. Stricter EU Rules on Parabens | ScienceNordic (http://sciencenordic.com/stricter-eu-rules-parabens)4. Endocrine Disorders | WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/endocrine-system-disorders)5. Avoid Preservatives in Skin Care (http://www.wellbeingnarrative.com/avoiding-preservatives-in-skin-care/)6. European Commission Press Release | Consumers: Commission improves safety of cosmetics (http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-1051_en.htm)