Truly Healthy Hygiene

Parabens

Parabens are commonly used preservatives in cosmetic products. They stop bacterial and fungal contamination by keeping microorganisms from growing. Parabens are part of the formula in most personal care products for shaving, hair care, etc., and most makeup. They can also be found in drugs and food products.

In the human body, parabens behave weakly like estrogen. Some researchers have found parabens present in breast cancer tissue samples, but causation of cancer by parabens hasn’t been established. According to the FDA, more research is needed, but parabens currently appear safe.

You can avoid parabens anyway, by looking on the labels for “methylparaben,” “propylparaben,” “butylparaben,” and any other ingredient name with the suffix “-paraben.” Although parabens are widely used preservatives, you can purchase products without them.