More about Parabens

Parabens: What They Are, Where They’re Found, and Why They Matter

Parabens have become a major topic of concern in recent years, and many people are still unsure what they are, where they show up, and why they may pose risks. Let’s break it down.

What Are Parabens?

Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in both the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. They’re effective because they prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi, helping products last longer. These compounds—and their salts—are added to formulas specifically for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties.

Where Are Parabens Found?

The short answer is: almost everywhere. Parabens appear in a wide range of cosmetic and personal‑care products, including:

• Shampoos
• Commercial moisturizers
• Shaving gels
• Personal lubricants
• Spray tanning solutions
• Toothpaste
• Topical and parenteral pharmaceuticals

They’re also used as food additives.

Common parabens include:

• Methylparaben (E218)
• Ethylparaben (E214)
• Propylparaben (E216)
• Butylparaben

Less common forms include isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, benzylparaben, and their sodium salts. All of these will appear in the ingredient list on product labels.

Why Should We Care About Parabens?

Although parabens have long been considered safe due to their low toxicity and long history of use, recent studies have raised new concerns.

Parabens appear to act as endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with the body’s hormone system—affecting both men and women, estrogen and testosterone. Endocrine disruptors are synthetic chemicals that mimic, block, or disrupt hormone activity, often causing more harm at low levels than at high ones.

These chemicals can:

• Mimic natural hormones
• Block hormonal pathways
• Interfere with hormone production
• Combine with other chemicals to create far more potent effects

Because the endocrine system regulates every function of the body—including the thyroid, pituitary, adrenal glands, pancreas, ovaries, and testes—disruption can have widespread consequences.

How Parabens Affect the Body and Environment

When you apply body‑care products or hair dye, you can absorb or inhale synthetic chemicals containing endocrine disruptors. These chemicals may send false signals to your endocrine glands, preventing them from functioning normally and potentially leading to serious health issues.

What your body doesn’t absorb gets washed down the drain, entering the water supply and affecting algae, fish, whales, birds, and eventually humans again through contaminated water and seafood. Government testing has even found sunscreen chemicals in fish and human breast milk.

Endocrine disruptors accumulate in fatty tissues and do not flush out easily. Rising rates of breast cancer, non‑Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and thyroid cancer have been linked to environmental estrogens. Parabens specifically mimic estrogen—a hormone essential for menstruation, reproductive health, and fat‑cell activity. A Scottish study even found parabens in human breast tumors.

In the last 25 years, thyroid cancer in the U.S. has increased more than 45%, affecting more women than men and becoming the number‑one cancer in children under twenty—many of whom experienced fetal endocrine disruption.

How to Protect Yourself

Read every ingredient label on every personal‑care product you buy. Be cautious of unfamiliar chemical names and stay informed about what you’re putting on your skin.

Common Products That Contain Parabens

Cosmetics
Foundations, powders, concealers, eye makeup, blushes, bronzers, makeup removers, lipsticks, quick‑dry nail products

Pharmaceutical Products
Topical dermatological medications, eye/ear/nose drops, rectal and vaginal medications, bandages, parenteral products (including antibiotics, corticosteroids, anesthetics, radiopharmaceuticals, vitamins, antihypertensives, diuretics, insulin, heparin, chemotherapeutic agents)

Personal Care Products
Moisturizers, lotions, sunscreens, cleansers, antiperspirants, deodorants, soaps, toothpastes, shampoos, conditioners, colognes, perfumes

Food Products (E210–E219)
Marinated fish, salad dressings, mayonnaise, mustard, sauces, processed vegetables, frozen dairy products, jams, jellies, soft drinks, fruit juices, baked goods, candies

Industrial Products
Oils, fats, shoe polishes, textiles, glues

Nitrates Link to Alzheimer’s, Diabetes And Parkinson's Disease

Nitrates May Be Environmental Trigger For Alzheimer's, Diabetes And Parkinson's Disease

ScienceDaily (July 6, 2009) — A new study by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have found a substantial link between increased levels of nitrates in our environment and our food with increased deaths from diseases, including Alzheimer's, diabetes mellitus and Parkinrson's. The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

If you are suffering from Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Parkinsons or other medical challenges and you aren't satisfied with the ever increasing number of medications that aren't helping you get better then I may be able to help.

FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Propylene Glycol

Part 6 of the Series: FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Propylene Glycol

It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume the FDA keeps a close eye on the safety of cosmetics and personal‑care products. But as I’ve learned through my research into how nutrition affects overall health, that simply isn’t the case.

One of the biggest eye‑openers for me was discovering that, for the most part, the FDA doesn’t regulate cosmetics or personal‑care items at all. The responsibility has largely fallen to a self‑policing industry group—originally the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, now known as the Personal Care Products Council. This organization represents more than 600 manufacturers and distributors. It’s essentially the fox guarding the henhouse, relying on “voluntary regulation” to keep consumers safe.

What’s even more shocking is that other regions—like the EU, Canada, Japan, and other health‑conscious markets—have far stricter safety standards and ban many more chemicals than the United States. It can make you feel as though American consumers are being used as test subjects.

So what should you be watching for in your own shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and other daily products? There are several ingredients that can make you ill with repeated exposure. Here’s one of them:

Propylene Glycol: A Common Ingredient With Serious Concerns

Propylene Glycol is used as a solvent or surfactant in a wide range of industrial products, including engine coolants, antifreeze, airplane deicers, tire sealants, rubber cleaners, polyurethane cushions, paints, and enamels. Despite its industrial uses, it’s also found in many shampoos.

Propylene Glycol is a known skin irritant and has been associated with liver abnormalities and kidney damage. And yes—there’s a good chance it’s in your shampoo.

A Final Reminder

Your skin cannot protect you from these toxins. It is not a barrier to entry—medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the bloodstream. The chemicals in your shampoo and conditioner may even be more harmful than those in your food because they bypass the digestive system entirely.

FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

Part 5 of the Series: FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume the products we use every day are carefully regulated, but that simply isn’t the case. And speaking of surprises—while reviewing my blog last night, I noticed that Part 6 of this series posted, but Part 5 never did. So much for automation. Let’s fix that now.

As I’ve mentioned throughout this series, my research into how nutrition affects overall health opened my eyes to the broader issue of weak safety oversight in personal‑care products. Today, we’re looking at the fifth chemical commonly found in shampoos, conditioners, and other items many of us use daily.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): Not Just in Food

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) in your shampoo? It sounds like a joke, but it isn’t. MSG often appears under other names such as yeast extract, naiad, glutamic acid, or glutamates. Regardless of the label, the reactions it can trigger in personal‑care products are similar to those experienced when consuming it in food.

Reported symptoms include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Numbness
• Burning sensations
• Tingling
• Facial pressure
• Nausea
• Drowsiness
• Weakness

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my video blog where I break down what I found in one particular product: http://youtu.be/KXKIpsDaaTc

A Final Reminder

Your skin cannot protect you from these toxins. It is not a barrier to entry—medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the bloodstream. The chemicals in your shampoo and conditioner may even be more harmful than those in your food because they bypass the digestive system entirely.

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If you want, I can help you revise Part 6 again so the entire series feels seamless and consistent.

FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Diethanolamine (DEA)

Part 4 of the Series: FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Diethanolamine (DEA)

It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume the products we use every day are closely monitored for safety, but that simply isn’t the case. As I’ve mentioned throughout this series, my research into how nutrition affects overall health opened my eyes to the broader issue of weak safety oversight in personal‑care products.

So let’s move on to the next chemical commonly found in shampoos, conditioners, and other everyday items.

Diethanolamine (DEA): A Chemical With Serious Risks

Diethanolamine (DEA) is a toxic ingredient that reacts with nitrite preservatives and contaminants in personal‑care products to form nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA)—a known, potent carcinogen.

DEA also appears to interfere with choline, a nutrient essential for healthy brain development. Pregnant women actually need extra choline to support fetal growth, and an associate dean for research at the UNC School of Public Health emphasized its importance in providing proper nutrients for a healthy baby.

Adding to the concern, the FDA recently reported that around 42% of all cosmetics are contaminated with NDEA, with shampoos showing the highest concentrations.

A Final Reminder

Your skin cannot protect you from these toxins. It is not a barrier to entry—medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the bloodstream. The chemicals in your shampoo and conditioner may even be more harmful than those in your food because they bypass the digestive system entirely.

FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Dioxane

Part 3 of the Series: FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Dioxane

It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume the FDA—or at least some federal agency—keeps a close eye on the safety of cosmetics and personal‑care products. Unfortunately, that simply isn’t the case. Even when the FDA does step in, it often focuses more on policing harmless claims—like when they threatened General Mills for stating that oats lower cholesterol—than on addressing truly unsafe ingredients. They even warned they would classify Cheerios as an unapproved drug if the company didn’t stop making that claim.

Meanwhile, other parts of the world take consumer safety far more seriously. The EU, Canada, Japan, and other health‑conscious markets have stricter regulations and ban far more chemicals than the United States. It can make you feel like American consumers are being used as guinea pigs.

As I mentioned in earlier posts, my research into how nutrition affects overall health opened my eyes to the broader issue of weak safety oversight in personal‑care products. You’ve already seen the first two common chemicals found in shampoos and conditioners. Now let’s take a look at the next one.

Dioxane: A Known Carcinogen Still in Everyday Products

Dioxane is a toxic chemical identified as one of more than 200 carcinogens linked to breast cancer in a 2007 report published in the medical journal Cancer. Even more concerning, its connection to cancer was first reported back in 1965—yet it continues to appear in personal‑care products used by both adults and children.

In 1985, the FDA requested a voluntary limit of 10 parts per million for dioxane in these products. Decades later, that limit still hasn’t been implemented.

A Final Reminder

Your skin cannot protect you from these toxins. It is not a barrier to entry—medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the bloodstream. The chemicals in your shampoo and conditioner may even be more harmful than those in your food because they bypass the digestive system entirely.

 

FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Paraben

Part 2 of the Series: FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Paraben

It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume everyday personal‑care products are tightly regulated, but the reality is far different. As I mentioned in the previous post, my research into how nutrition affects overall health opened the door to a much bigger issue: the lack of meaningful safety oversight for many of the products we use on our bodies every day.

One of the most concerning toxins commonly found in shampoos and conditioners is paraben.

Parabens: What They Are and Why They Matter

Parabens are preservatives added to products to prevent microbial growth. The problem is that they’ve been linked to hormone and endocrine disruption. Because they act as xeno‑estrogens—compounds that mimic or interfere with natural estrogen—they can disrupt normal hormonal pathways.

These disruptions can affect fertility, pregnancy, menstruation, and even fat‑cell activity. Excess estrogen activity is also associated with weight gain, fluid retention, and depression. Scientists have even identified paraben compounds in breast‑cancer tumor tissue.

What to Look For on Labels

Parabens appear under many names. Check your product labels for any of the following:

• Propylparaben
• Parahydroxybenzoic acid
• Parahydroxybenzoate
• Methylparaben
• Ethylparaben
• Butylparaben
• Benzyl‑parahydroxybenzoic acid
• Methyl‑parahydroxybenzoic acid
• Propyl‑parahydroxybenzoic acid
• Butyl‑parahydroxybenzoic acid

A Final Reminder

Your skin is not a protective barrier against these chemicals. Medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the bloodstream. In fact, the toxins in your shampoo and conditioner may be even more harmful than those in your food because they bypass the digestive system entirely.

FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Part 1 of Series: FDA Doesn’t Regulate Shampoos & Conditioners – Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

It’s surprising, isn’t it? Most people assume the FDA is watching over the ingredients in the products we put on our skin. Read on and you’ll see why that assumption doesn’t hold up.

As a pharmacist, I’m launching a series of posts to highlight some of the unsettling facts about the ingredients found in everyday personal‑care products. Think about this: drug manufacturers now create more and more medications designed to be absorbed through the skin. If the skin can absorb beneficial medications, it can also absorb harmful chemicals. That alone should make us take a closer look at what we’re putting on our bodies. After watching the special report from Fox News, the concerns become even more obvious.

Each post in this series will focus on a different ingredient. When I began studying how nutrition affects health, I quickly discovered how little oversight exists in the personal‑care industry. One of the biggest shocks was learning that the FDA does not regulate most cosmetics and personal‑care products. Many of us assumed they were monitoring these items for toxins and harmful ingredients, but they were never given the authority to do so.

Since 1894, this industry has essentially regulated itself through an organization originally called the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association—now known as the Personal Care Products Council. It represents more than 600 manufacturers and distributors. In other words, the companies producing these products are the same ones responsible for “voluntary regulation.” It’s not hard to see the problem with that arrangement.

Even more alarming is the fact that other regions—such as the EU, Canada, and Japan—have far stricter safety standards and ban many more chemicals than the United States. It leaves consumers here feeling like test subjects.

So what should you watch for in your shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and other products? There are resources available to help you evaluate safety, and one ingredient worth examining closely is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is commonly used to create the lather in shampoos and soaps. It’s also used as a degreasing agent in car washes and garages. Because it enhances penetration, it can help other ingredients—including potentially harmful ones—enter the bloodstream. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), research has linked SLS to:

• Skin and eye irritation
• Developmental and reproductive toxicity
• Endocrine disruption
• Ecotoxicological, biochemical, or cellular changes
• Neurotoxicity
• Possible mutations and cancer

The EWG’s PubMed library contains more than 15,000 studies documenting concerns related to SLS. You can explore them at www.ewg.org.

SLS also appears under many different names, including sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium laurel sulfate, sodium dodecylsulfate, sulfuric acid, sodium salt sulfuric acid, A12‑00356, Akyposal SDS, Aquarex ME, and Aquarex methyl. Check your labels carefully.

Remember, your skin is not a protective barrier against these chemicals. Medical patches have proven for years that substances applied to the skin can enter the body. In some cases, the toxins in your shampoo or conditioner may be more harmful than what’s in your food.

Keith Abell, RPh MI