How do you know if your personal care products are paraben free products? Here your helpful tips on how to avoid parabens being absorbed by your body. First, let us find out what is paraben so that we can better understand why we need to avoid it.

So, what is paraben?

It is a synthetic chemical compound widely used as a preservative in majority of cosmetic products. It is an ester of para-hydroxybenzoic acid. You can always find them in shampoos, moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, skin care creams, skin tanning solutions and even toothpaste.

Some of this microorganism exist in nature. Blueberries contain a minute amount of paraben, although nothing indicates that they are harmful when the berries are eaten. In fact, blueberries are considered rich in many anti-oxidants known to help us fight free radicals that damage our cells.

The kind of paraben used in cosmetic products and some medicines is synthetically produced. Many studies have already indicated that parabens potentially cause breast cancer, disturbance of the hormonal balance and many allergic reactions.

UK study

Foremost of these studies is the one conducted by researchers at the University of Reading, United Kingdom. Published in 2004, the research showed that parabens are found in substantial amount in breast tumors of the subjects. It was assumed that the parabens in underarm deodorants could have somehow migrated to the mammary cells and possibly caused tumor cells to develop.

Most common forms of paraben usually found in many personal care products are methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben. Try to check some of your personal care products now and see if any of these paraben forms is listed as an ingredient.

Truth to tell, the studies conducted so far on paraben and its link to some identified diseases contain no hard evidence. In fact, the medical and scientific community is divided if paraben truly promotes development of tumor cells in the breast, for example. This is not to say, however, that you should not become vigilant about paraben.

These reports are, to a certain extent, alarming, considering that paraben is widely used in majority of personal care products. In fact, it should be treated as nothing short of potential risk. Right now, there is an existing pact among manufacturers concerning the banning of the use of parabens in their products. Well, that remains to be seen if the commitment remains heeded.

Luckily, there are handful of companies that produce only all natural skin care product, etc. These products contain ingredients that were taken from nature and had been known to cause no side effect. The proliferation of dizzying number of skin care products should make you extra careful in choosing.

Products containing paraben are also likely to contain other harmful chemicals, such as mineral oil, alcohol and fragrance. Fragrance alone could be any of the 4,000 synthetic scents suspected of being carcinogenic.

Knowing how widely used paraben is amidst the countless products that continue to flood the market today, it must always be a challenge that you scrutinize them at all time. If you are genuinely conscious of your health, it is necessary for you to choose only paraben-free products.

Source by Elizabeth Simpson