Are Parabens Really Safe (Part 1)
Lisa Taylor Barger
No cosmetic can ever be truly “natural”-no matter what the manufacturer claims-but some ingredients are closer than others. Parabens have long been considered an ideal compromise and until quite recently were considered one of the safest preservative methods available. But an article published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology has cast doubt on the safety of parabens and, especially, their potential role in the development of some types of breast cancers.
Scientists have known for some time that parabens can mimic the effect of estrogen when used on lab animals but in early 2004, British researchers from the University of Reading announced that they had found parabens in in the cancerous tumors of human breast cancer patients. Equally concerning is the fact that researchers believe that the form of parabens found in those tumors indicate that the parabens were absorbed topically and not taken orally. But most frightening is the fact that parabens were found in EVERY sample.��
It’s important to note that this was a very, very small study–only 20 women–and there’s absolutely no way to tell what, if any, skin care products are implicated. Although the lead researcher has cautioned that there’s no definitive proof that parabens actually cause breast cancers, he has already called for more study.
