If you’ve shopped for beauty products recently, you may have noticed that many shampoos, makeups, lotions, deodorants, and more are starting to take a “paraben-free” marketing angle on their packaging. But what are parabens — and why does it matter whether something is paraben-free or not?

Over the past ten years or so, research has discovered that long-term exposure to parabens found in many beauty and hygiene products may cause health problems. The “paraben-free” label signals to customers that their cosmetics do not contain these harmful chemicals and are safer for regular use.

So, are parabens bad for your skin? The short answer is most likely yes, but the evidence is not yet conclusive. In this article, we’ll cover what parabens are, why you should avoid them, and how you can protect your health in your daily grooming routine.

Contents:

1. What Are Parabens?
   • What Products Contain Parabens and What Are They Used For?
   • Why Are Parabens Harmful?
   • Why Are Parabens Bad for the Skin?
   • Do Parabens Harm Anything Else?
   • Studies on Parabens
2. Diseases and Paraben Products
   • Parabens and Breast Cancer
   • Parabens and Allergies
   • Parabens and Reproductive Health
   • Why Does the FDA Allow Parabens?
   • Parabens and the CDC
3. Paraben-Free Skincare
4. What To Look for on a Label
5. What Is Paraben-Free? Safe Preservatives in Beauty Products
6. The Benefits of Paraben-Free Cosmetics
7. Want to Know More? DefenAge Has You Covered

What Are Parabens?

Adding preservatives to products we use daily, like shampoo, makeup, and skincare, helps to “preserve” these products’ shelf lives. Parabens are a group of artificial chemical preservatives that have been an ingredient in everyday beauty products, food, drinks, and pharmaceuticals since the 1920s. These chemicals stem from para-hydroxybenzoic acid, a natural compound found in produce. The most common types of parabens found in the cosmetic industry include:

• Isopropylparaben
• Isobutylparaben
• Ethylparaben
• Butylparaben
• Methylparabe

What Products Contain Parabens and What Are They Used For?

Parabens are used to protect the consumer by extending the shelf life of cosmetics and preventing the growth of harmful microorganisms within these products, such as mold and bacteria. They are commonly found in shampoos, conditioners, soaps, and skincare products. You can identify them by reading through the ingredients list of any beauty or hygiene product and looking for “paraben” within the chemical names.

Why Are Parabens Harmful?

The primary problem with parabens is that they have similar effects to estrogen and can disrupt hormonal balance in men and women. Whenever you apply shampoo, conditioner, lotion, shower gel, or other paraben-containing products to your skin, the parabens are absorbed rapidly into your system and accumulate in fat tissue over time, potentially leading to higher rates of absorption than may be safe.

The body generally does a good job of naturally getting rid of these chemicals. But science has found that with time, parabens build up in the system and are associated with health problems. Research has shown that these chemicals interfere with the body’s natural hormone-regulating processes, which means they could be harming your reproductive health.

In addition to reproductive health problems, some individuals are allergic to parabens. When applied to the skin, the side effects of parabens, for some, may include hives, flaky skin, itchiness, redness, and irritation. While the FDA continues to allow parabens in skincare and other products, consumers are growing increasingly concerned and are turning to paraben-free alternatives.

Why Are Parabens Bad for the Skin?

So, what do parabens do to your skin, specifically? Methylparaben is a type of paraben that has been linked to increased UV damage, aging effects, inflammation, oxidative stress, and collagen reduction. This preservative can be found in serums, masks, creams, lotions, and more.

Do Parabens Harm Anything Else?

It’s easy to assume that we only harm ourselves by using parabens. But as it turns out, these preservatives are released into the environment whenever they are washed down the drain into the sewage system. Parabens have been found in ocean water, sediment, and fish. Little amounts of butylparaben are enough to kill coral, and a study from 2015 showed that mammals in the coastal waters of the U.S. had high concentrations of parabens in their tissues, leading to high estrogen content and hormone-related health problems.

Studies on Parabens

There is growing evidence that parabens can negatively affect the body.

• Researchers reported recently that parabens could adversely affect reproductive and endocrine (or hormonal) systems in women. [Concentrations of urinary parabens and reproductive hormones in Iranian women: Exposure and risk assessment - PubMed (nih.gov)]
• In a review of men, scientists found exposure to parabens and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals negatively impacted semen quality and sperm DNA integrity. [From Oxidative Stress to Male Infertility: Review of the Associations of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (Bisphenols, Phthalates, and Parabens) with Human Semen Quality - PubMed (nih.gov)]
• Scientists have also linked paraben exposure to increased risks of some cancer types, including thyroid, breast, and prostate. Risk of thyroid cancer and benign nodules associated with exposure to parabens among Chinese adults in Wuhan, China - PubMed (nih.gov).
• Researchers have associated paraben exposure with having a potential impact on gene expression, linking it to having more severe or dangerous cancers. [Environmental Phenol and Paraben Exposure Risks and Their Potential Influence on the Gene Expression Involved in the Prognosis of Prostate Cancer - PubMed (nih.gov)]
• In one study, scientists found higher paraben concentrations in the urine of Latina women who reported frequently using makeup, liquid soaps, and some lotions. The researchers concluded, “Switching to personal care products labeled to be free of phthalates, parabens, triclosan, and BP-3 resulted in lower urine concentrations in Latina adolescents, indicating that exposure can be controlled to some extent by informed product choices.” [Chemicals of concern in personal care products used by women of color in three communities of California - PMC (nih.gov)]
• Even low levels of butylparaben can kill coral, and researchers have detected parabens in bodies of water, fish, and particles on the ocean’s floor. [What Are Parabens, and Why Don’t They Belong in Cosmetics? | Environmental Working Group (ewg.org)]

Diseases and Paraben Products

We go into more detail about the health risks associated with parabens below.

Parabens and Breast Cancer

In multiple studies over the past two decades, researchers have discovered that patients with breast tumors had high concentrations of parabens. This may be attributable to the fact that parabens behave similarly to estrogen, which hormone has also been linked to breast cancer. While there is not currently enough evidence to establish a cause-effect relationship between breast cancer and parabens in the human body, 99% of women with breast tumors in one study had high paraben concentrations in their tissue samples. This correlation is cause for concern.

Parabens and Allergies

In addition to breast cancer, parabens have also been linked to contact dermatitis — a condition that causes bumps and itchy red patches when paraben products are applied directly to the skin. However, these reactions are rare and tend to occur in people with eczema or sensitive skin. If you are prone to rashes or skin sensitivity, it may be best to opt for a paraben-free lotion or paraben-free moisturizer instead, but if this isn’t possible, make sure you test your tolerance with a small patch test before use.

Parabens and Reproductive Health

As we’ve mentioned, parabens can weakly imitate the female estrogen hormone and create imbalances that lead to reproductive issues. One study on rats has shown that a particular type of paraben, butylparaben, can lower testosterone levels in men, potentially reducing sperm count and increasing cancer risk. In a human study, the same paraben was linked to decreased menstrual cycle length and lower overall fertility. High concentrations of butylparaben in the woman’s urine increased the odds of pre-term birth and even low birth weights.

Why Does the FDA Allow Parabens?

Unfortunately, the FDA does not have special regulations for cosmetic preservatives. Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, cosmetic products do not require FDA approval before going to market, with the exception of color additives. In other words, the FDA does not test cosmetics before they are made available for purchase, and parabens are considered just another ingredient in cosmetic products. However, the FDA does require these products to be labeled honestly.

If the FDA receives convincing data (or large, well-done studies) that parabens in general or individually used in cosmetics (which includes skincare) are a health hazard, the agency can take legal action to protect consumers’ health and welfare. One of those actions is to pull products off the market. The FDA has not yet deemed parabens in cosmetic products unsafe for human use. However, the agency is looking into the matter.