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