| By :
Jackie De Burca
There is plenty of debate around the subject of parabens which are used in cosmetics which we put on skin on a daily basis. Firstly what exactly are parabens? Parabens are a family of alkyl esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid which are used by manufacturers to maintain freshness not only in cosmetics but also in food. Why has there been debate about them? This is because parabens have been proven to penetrate the skin and can be traced in blood minutes after application; therefore there are theories that they may have adverse effects on the body. People who are aware of the dangers opt for parabens free cosmetics of which there are many available these days on the market such as the Abahna range. One study found that that out of 20 breast cancer patients 18 of them had parabens present in their breast tissue. The presence does not prove causality so the researcher has called for more studies to be done. Parabens enter also through the application of anti-perspirants which contain them. The thing is that they are not broken down by the digestive process and therefore it is not yet known the effect they have on the surrounding tissues. Additionally parabens have showed estrogenic activity in numerous tests. What this means is that they are mimicking the body's own hormones which can disrupt endocrine functions right throughout the body making the negative possibilities endless. One of the parabens family - methylparaben - has been linked to the premature aging of the skin. There was a study done in Japan which showed that certain cosmetic products may cause the skin to age excessively when exposed to ultra-violet rays however ironically this compound can be found in products which are designed and promoted to fight the effects of aging. As well as use in cosmetics parabens are also used in food most often as colourings and to add flavour. They occur naturally in prunes, cinnamon and blueberries however are made synthetically for commercial use. You can find them in toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, face cream and lots of everyday products. The six parabens which are most commonly used are methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben, butylparaben, and benzylparaben. The big question is however do manufacturers really need to use parabens? Some organic cosmetic manufacturers answer no t this question. They use tinctures which are made from high quality organic herbs and organic grain alcohol which have a good shelf life of between two and three years. There has been substantial progress made by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics which pressures the industry to phase out any chemicals which are known or suspected carcinogens, reproductive toxins or mutagens. In 2003 the EU has banned the use of these chemicals. In America the campaign has invited U.S. cosmetic companies to sign the "Compact for the Global Production of Safer Health and Beauty Products" and commit themselves to comply with the EU regulations however many industry leaders have not signed. At the end of the day it is a personal decision for each individual however this article is written to raise awareness for some of the people who have not heard about parabens.
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