What are Parabens, and what do they do?
A group of commonly used cosmetic/personal care product ingredients generally referred to as “Parabens” are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, isopropyl and isobutylparaben. They are ingredients known as preservatives that are highly effective in preventing the growth of fungi and bacteria and are used to preserve products and greatly extend their shelf life. Thus, they contribute directly to the quality of the product and, more importantly, its safe use for the consumer. Parabens have been used for decades as preservatives in the food, drug and personal care and cosmetic industries. There have been a number of articles and Internet rumors over the last couple of years that have reported an association between Parabens and breast cancer. It is implied in these reports that Parabens can cause breast cancer by acting like estrogen, the female sex endocrine hormone, through a process called endocrine disruption. Some of these studies suggest a very weak estrogenic or endocrine disrupting effec
