Are parabens in skin care also bad for the environment?
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 customary to think twice about our choices, from what we eat to what we buy to what we put on our skin.
If you already avoid parabens for health reasons, read on. We explain why these ingredients are also harmful to our planet and how consumers can help manufacturers of pressure to eliminate them forever.
What are parabens in skin care?
Parabens are a group of synthetic connections that are widely used as preservatives in cosmetics, products for personal care and even some foods and medicines. They were first introduced in the 1920s to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungus in water -based formulas.
Their antimicrobial properties make them effective in renewing the shelf life, but recent research has done doubts about their safety, especially when they are used daily or almost daily.
Why are parabens in skin care?
Parabens are cheap, easy to formulate and effective in keeping products stable and free of contamination, making them an easy choice for a lot of personal care and cosmetic manufacturers. They are a staple in makeup, moisturizing creams, hair care products, shaving products, face and skin cleaners, deodorants, toothpaste, sunscreen and more for decades.
Recent studies have raised alarms and questioned the safety of parabens. To this day, however, they are still used on a large scale and considered legally by regulatory authorities such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As the agency on its website says: “FDA has no special rules that only apply to preservatives in cosmetics. The law deals with preservatives in cosmetics the same as other cosmetic ingredients.”
That means that under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD & C Act), cosmetic products and ingredients, other than color additives, do not have to have FDA approval before they go on the market.
It is against the law to put a cosmetic on the market if it is “falsified”, which means that cosmetics must be safe for consumers when they are used according to the instructions. However, this does not take into account the potential cumulative effects of these products for decades.
Are parabens in skin care harmful to people?
Although the authorities have long considered parabenes safe, more recent research has done doubts about that faith.
A 2004 study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology Parabens found in breasttumor tissue, so that she expresses concern about their potential link with breast cancer. This study did not determine those parabens causes Cancer, but it did emphasize how they can gather in the body over time.
A 2021 Study On girls reported 6-17 years that exposure to parabens was associated with reduced concentrations of circulating reproductive hormones, “which suggests that these chemicals could change the development and function of the endocrine system in girls.” One later 2023 Study Also found a connection between parabens and breast cancer in black women.
This care is based on the fact that parabens are endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which means that they can change hormone function in the human body. In one 2022 StudyResearchers noted that parabens can disrupt a negative with some horma goals that are relevant to breast cancer.
A 2024 Study At Parabens, parabens could change hormone and immune function and are linked to hypersensitivity, obesity and infertility. Another Similar study Discovered that parabens were ‘significantly associated with a high blood pressure risk and changes in blood pressure level’, suggesting that exposure to the environment to parabens can increase the risk of high blood pressure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tested parabens in people and found proof of “widespread exposure” in Americans. In addition, women had several more long higher concentrations of two parabens methyl parabs and propyl paraben-dan men. The CDC noted that these results “probably reflect the larger use of products that contain parabens.”
Yet the CDC and the FDA still claim that the effects of human health of exposure to parabens are ‘unknown’. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) investigated the problem in 2006 and determined, together with the FDA, that it was not necessary to change the basic rules that “parabens are safe for use in cosmetics.” With the FDA, manufacturers can also add a few or more parabens to food or food packaging to prevent spoilage.
How do parabens harm the environment in skin care?
It is not only the human health that can be damaged by exposure to high levels of parabens. Recent research also suggests that these chemicals can be harmful to the planet.
Parabens do not disappear after we rinse our face or want our hair shampoo. They enter the water system, where they can continue to exist in the environment and influence the animals in the wild – in particular aquatic species.
A study published in Science of the total environment It was noted that Parabens are present on a large scale in water sources worldwide, mainly because of their use in products for personal care, medicines and food. Researchers have found that concentrations of parabens of more than 100 micrograms per liter in waste water treatment plants and surface waters. Even drinking water sources “usually show concentrations under” 6 micrograms per liter.
Parabens in water systems interfere with the hormonal systems of aquatic organisms that influence growth and development. They can also mix with chlorine in water treatment systems to create chlorated parabens, which are even more toxic and raised risks to animals and people’s health.
Scientists publish in Scientific reports It noted that parabens “pollute the environment, penetrate into living organisms and have a negative influence on various internal organs.” In another study, scientists discovered that more than 93 percent of the tested dairy cows showed evidence of parabens in their hair.
Parabens ‘can penetrate into the natural environment’, the scientists wrote, ‘and because of their widespread use in industry, they are often found in surface and tap water, soil, air and dust on all continents, even in Antarctica.’ They further stated that parabens easily penetrate people and animals through the digestive tract, the airways and the skin.
In 2021Researchers published another study that has increased the alarm about parabens in the environment and human health. They tested levels in products, people and the environment and found that detection levels were “high”, while the levels varied greatly per country (higher in the American and EU countries) and the type of paraben. They also discovered that pregnant women had higher concentrations of parabens than the general population.
How can I help?
The good news is that, because of consumer pressure, many companies already avoid parabens and use other alternatives as preservatives in their products. That means you can make a difference!
Small, daily changes in your personal care routine can not only help reduce your exposure to parabens, but also the amount released in the environment. Over time we can continue to influence beauty companies to be more conscientious about the ingredients they use.
Here is how you can help:
Read your labels
Check the ingredient lists for all your products for the presence of parabens. Search for everything that ends in -parabs (methyl parabs, propyl parabs, etc.). If you see such ingredients, consider switching to a safer alternative.
Tip: All CV SkinLabs products are free from parabens and other potentially annoying and toxic ingredients! Read here about our dedication to safe ingredients.
Choose paraben -free products
Search for products that are specifically paraben -free or display clean beauty certifications. Shop with companies that care for which ingredients they use. CV SkinLabs is one of them – all our products are free from parabens, synthetic scents, hard chemicals and well -known irritating substances.
Support for clean beauty brands
Choose companies that give priority to transparency, non-toxic ingredients and environmentally friendly practices. Many brands also use sustainable packaging, cruelty -free formulations and environmentally friendly sourcing.
Limit product waste
Only buy what you need, use products completely before you throw them away and recycle containers when possible. (All product containers from CV SkinLabs are recyclable!) Less waste is equal to fewer chemicals that enter the environment.
Training and sharing
Spread the word to friends and family about the importance of avoiding harmful chemicals for your health and the planet. Earth Day is a great day to start the conversation.
Are you aware of whether there are parabens in your skin care?
Featured image by Polina Tankilevitch via Pexels.
