What are Parabens?

There seems to be more and more articles about avoiding Parabens in the press recently? But do you know what they are or why you should be avoiding them?

Parabens are the most widely used preservatives in cosmetic products; they stop fungus, bacteria and other microbes from growing in your favorite creams and makeup.

The most common parabens used in cosmetic products are methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben.

Less common types include benzylparaben and sobutylparaben.

Studies have found that the biggest risk from parabens seems to be from the use of products that require a prolonged exposure to skin, such as skin creams and facial lotions. The longer that the parabens are on the skin, the more opportunity there is for parabens to be absorbed. When used in skin care products, parabens are absorbed directly into the blood stream rather than through the gastrointestinal tract.

One type of paraben - methylparaben - has also been linked to the premature aging of skin. A study undertaken in Japan indicated that certain cosmetic products may cause skin to age excessively when exposed to ultra-violet rays. Ironically, this compound can be commonly found in products designed to fight the effects of aging.

Some tests have indicated that parabens have caused an increase in oestrogen which can possibly affect the male and female reproductive organs. Some studies in men have shown that a low sperm count and a decrease in testosterone are directly related to the intake of parabens

“A research team led by Dr Philippa Darbre from the University of Reading studied tissue samples from 40 women undergoing mastectomies between 2005 and 2008 for first primary breast cancer in England.

In total, 160 samples were collected, four from each woman. They found 99 per cent of the tissue samples contained at least one paraben and 60 per cent of the samples had five.

The team found women who didn't use underarm deodorants still had measurable parabens in their tissue, suggesting they must enter the breast from other sources.

Dr Darbre added: 'The fact that parabens were detected in the majority of the breast tissue samples cannot be taken to imply that they actually caused breast cancer in the 40 women studied.

'However, the fact that parabens were present in so many of the breast tissue samples does justify further investigation.'

Research leader Dr Philippa Darbre: She said further investigation was needed into the presence of parabens in breast tissue samples

Responding to research, Catherine Priestley, Clinical Nurse Specialist at Breast Cancer Care told Mail Online: 'The debate about the link between parabens and breast cancer is not a new one, and this report serves to highlight the need for further research.”

Researchers are just beginning to uncover the potentially dangerous side effects of Parabens They still don’t know enough to know just how dangerous they are; but, what they do know is pretty nasty.

The Pure Emporia products do not contain parabens or in fact, any other harmful chemicals. Go to www.thepureemporia.com to see our full range of products or http://www.thepureemporia.com/ingredients-to-avoid for a list of ingredients that you should avoid.