Are You At Risk of Cancer By Using Parabens?

It scared me to death to learn that lurking in my shampoos, moisturizers and other products are chemicals called parabens, which may cause cancer. Our skin being our largest organ is a transport carrying whatever we put on our skin, into our bodies. Therefore, using these chemicals on the outside can carry them inside to our bloodstream and possibly result in getting this dangerous disease.

Parabens, which is short for "para-hydroxybenzoate", are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives, because of its bacterial and fungicidal properties. You will find them in all sorts of shampoos, toothpastes, facial creams, shaving gels, spray tanning solutions, as well as, salad dressings, soft drinks, and candies.

The mainstream cosmetic industry believes that parabens are safe, based on their long term use, safety records and recent scientific studies. The public interest organizations which raise awareness about cosmetic ingredients have produced studies against its safety and believe further research is necessary. This controversy has caused many persons to wonder which side to take.

So, what is the issue? Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen and have been found in high concentrations of breast cancer tumors. It has also been noticed that it can cause skin irritations, contact dermatitis, and rosacea in individual with parabens allergies.

While more research needs to be done, I feel there is enough evidence to warrant caution in the use of parabens. You have only 1 skin, and 1 life, why play russian roulette with it? If you cherish your skin and want to put off the visible signs of aging, plus nourish your skin with the most effective, natural, safe product possible, check the ingredients of any product you might want to try.

The following tips will help you start on the road to being paraben-free:

Understand that some companies admit they use some form of parabens as a preservative to prevent bacterial and fungal contamination. They don't consider it harmful and have no problem adding it to their ingredients labels.
Take charge of your health. Read the label. Among the ingredients, listed on the label in small letters at the bottom is where you will find the parabens listed. They may be listed as: Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Benzyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid, Methyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid, Ethyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid, Propyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid, Butyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid, Parahydroxybenzoic acid and Parahydroxybenzoate. If possible, get rid of everything in your house with those ingredients.
Find products that use preservatives such as Vitamin E and grapefruit seed extract in cosmetics. Cinnamon, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon and tea tree essential oils are also sometimes used. Start buying paraben-free products.
Know that words like "natural" and "organic" does not mean paraben-free. Don't be misled by the front label. Check the back ingredient list.

Of course there is no total guarantee to avoiding cancer. However, I feel that you can swing the odds in your favor by taking action, by not using products that are suspected for causing harm.

Do yourself a favor, be responsible for your health.

Author: Julie McWright is a health care and anti-aging skin care enthusiast. Check out her latest discovery at http://www.organic-anti-aging-skin-care.com