New Data on Parabens Suggests Not Adverse Hormonal Effect on the Body

Originally published in Volume XVII, Issue 1, Spring 2010 Edition of SkinNews


While parabens have been used safely and effectively in skin care products for more than 70 years, the potential harmful effects of preservatives in products, including parabens, has come under scrutiny lately.

One concern is how people use the skin care products containing parabens. Once you add water to any skin care formula, it must be preserved to prevent it from becoming infected with bacteria. Although it could look okay and smell okay, it still could be full of bacteria and if you were to apply it to your skin, you run the risk of a serious infection. Parabens act as a preservative preventing contamination and bacterial overgrowth.

Also of concern is the possible estrogenic effect of parabens applied to the skin. A recent study confirmed that regardless of what paraben is applied on the skin, any that is absorbed fully metabolized before entering the blood stream. The metabolized or breakdown product, p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA), is not known to have estrogenic effect. In short, parabens applied to the skin are metabolized rapidly and do not exhibit any adverse effects. It has also been shown that PHBA is a necessary building block for co-enzyme Q, an essential enzyme which is found in the heart muscle and skin.

Although extensive research has gone into searching for a natural preservative, one as effective as parabens has not been found. Parabens used in cosmetics are chemically identical to parabens in nature. In the plant world, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and its derivatives are commonly found in various vegetables such as barley (meaning parabens are found in bread), strawberries, blackcurrants, peaches, carrots, onions, cocoa beans, vanilla, corn and flax seed oils. Additionally, parabens are found in foods prepared using fruit juices, grapes, yeast extract, wine vinegar and cheeses. In an article in the
Journal of Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, food accounts for about 10 times the exposure to parabens than the average skin care and cosmetic product usage.