Parabens ARE in the news!

I had said one doesn't read much about parabens in the news - but this week they ARE in the news.. but not here in the USA - they are in the European news..

some quotes

From Tenerife:

Cosmetics and the dangers therein: lipstick, moisturisers, shampoo, deodorant and even soap

Women’s health may be put at risk by the chemicals in various toiletries, and apparently we use twelve such products every day of our lives! This may mean that we are being exposed to as many as 175 different chemicals that may include ingredients linked to cancers, hormone problems and skin irritations. There are actually three commonly found ingredients that can be especially dangerous.

Parabens are preserving agents that are often used in body creams and moisturisers and have been linked to breast cancer and skin inflammations.
Sodium lauryl sulphate and sodium laureth sulphate are used in shampoos and can irritate the skin.

Full article HERE

From the UK:

Dusting off preservatives
[July 9, 2007]

One of the most common types of ingredient in consumer products is the preservative, added by manufacturers to prevent spoilage during storage and use. Numerous compounds fulfil this function and they can be classified according to their mode of action. Antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (NHT) act by inhibiting oxidation whereas bactericides kill off bacteria and antimicrobials destroy fungi and parasites, as well as bacteria.

The parabens are a group of esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid, hence their name, and the methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl esters are generally employed. Triclosan (TCS) is a chlorinated phenoxyphenol derivative. Together TCS and the parabens are widely used preservatives found in cosmetics, personal care products such as shampoos and shaving gels, toothpastes, canned foods, beverages and textiles.

Despite being used for many years without any apparent long-term health problems, several recent studies have cast doubt on the safety of the parabens. They have been accused of being endocrine disruptors and have been found in breast cancer tissue but opinion on their safety to humans remains divided. In addition, TCS has been found in human breast milk, urine and plasma and it has been reported to disturb thyroid function. [Full article no longer available.]

Parabens are not good for you...but there is paraben free skin care - see what it has done for me....
http://growolderbetter.blogspot.com/2007/06/8-weeks-of-skin-care.html