What’s the fuss about... Parabens?

They’re found in many beauty products ­– but should you wipe them off your routine?

You may have noticed lately that "paraben-free" labels have been popping up on a range of cosmetics and beauty products.

Parabens are the most widely used preservatives in personal care products; they stop fungus, bacteria and other microbes from growing in your favourite creams and make-up, especially in the moist, warm environment of a bathroom. Their names are a mouthful – methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and isobutylparaben. You’ll find them listed on thousands of personal care products including shampoos, foundations, mascara and body lotions.

But over the past few years, a debate has been building among scientists, product safety regulators and cosmetics manufacturers about whether these ubiquitous chemicals, used for almost 70 years, may actually be harmful to our health.

Some of the questions being asked:

Is the rising incidence of breast cancer linked in part to the fact that parabens, which have a weak ability to mimic oestrogen, have been found in breast cancer tumours and can be isolated from other body tissues?

Are declining sperm counts and increasing rates of male breast cancer and testicular cancer related to the fact that these chemicals can be absorbed into our skin, potentially disrupting our endocrine systems?

The simple answer: we don’t know yet. But some researchers feel there may be reason for concern. One of the most vocal is Philippa Darbre, a senior lecturer in oncology and researcher in biomolecular sciences at the University of Reading in England. In 2004, Darbre’s team published a pivotal study that detected parabens in 18 of 20 samples of tissue from breast tumour biopsies.

Her study didn’t prove parabens cause cancer, only that they were easily detected among cancerous cells. The study was criticised for not comparing paraben levels in normal tissue, but nevertheless, the results called out for more investigation.

"We’ve known for more than 25 years that oestrogen exposure is linked to breast cancer development and progression; it is the reason tamoxifen (commonly prescribed to women with breast cancer) is used to disrupt oestrogen receptors," says Darbre. "So it is not such a leap to be concerned that repeated, cumulative, long-term exposure to chemicals that weakly mimic oestrogen might be having an impact."

Darbre is particularly worried about lotions and deodorants applied under the arms or near the breast, and hasn’t used underarm deodorant herself for ten years, opting instead to use just soap and water. She notes that research has found that roughly 55% of all breast cancer tumours occur in the upper outside portion of the breast, the section closest to the underarm. The US National Cancer Institute has partly dismissed the claim, maintaining there is no decisive evidence at present to conclude that the parabens are linked to breast cancer and that further research is needed. Australia’s federal health department agrees.

Evaluating the risks

One recent Danish study has raised other concerns. It showed parabens could be detected in the blood and urine of healthy young male volunteers a few hours after paraben-containing lotions were applied to their skin. The authors concluded that since the chemicals could be absorbed, metabolised and excreted, they "could potentially contribute to adverse health effects".

However, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), a US-based industry-sponsored panel of experts that evaluates the safety of cosmetic ingredients, the Food and Drug Administration in the US and Australia’s Health Department have all deemed parabens to be safe at current exposure levels.

The CIR examined parabens in 1984 and 2005, and both times concluded that parabens were not a concern at the low levels found in personal-care products. In 2005, the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products confirmed that the use of methyl- and ethyl-paraben was safe as regulated.

Australia’s chemicals regulator, the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme, also says that "parabens in cosmetic products are considered safe when these products are used as directed".

Researchers and organisations such as the US Environmental Working Group (EWG) say this is not good enough and that research shouldn’t look at individual product exposure only; instead, they argue, research should evaluate the cumulative impact of many products used over many years. EWG’s surveys show the average adult consumer uses nine personal care products a day.

For consumers like Jude Isabella, a mum and editor of a children’s science magazine, the uncertainty is sufficient for her to limit her exposure. Since cancer runs in her family, she shops for cosmetic products labelled "paraben-free", including expensive organic deodorant from a health-food store. "Why slather yourself with chemicals when we don’t yet have the answer?" she says. "I’m not paranoid, but I’d rather err on the side of caution."

Is there an alternative?
Some manufacturers have tapped into public concern by producing paraben-free cosmetics. But it’s not a matter of simply taking the parabens out of cosmetics; alternative preservatives have to be found to keep products free of the mould, fungus and microbial growth that could potentially do more damage than the parabens. "It’s terrifying… some of the spores and mould that could develop in these [preservative-free] products could send a person blind," says Roger Levitt, of Botanical Extracts, a natural skincare company based in Sydney that makes paraben-free products.

Botanical Extracts began experimenting with paraben alternatives five years ago, initially with mixed success. "Several of the early paraben-free systems failed dramatically," says Levitt. "It quickly became apparent why parabens are everywhere. They’re so cheap – they’re one-tenth of the price of non-paraben preservatives – and they’re good at stopping the product becoming microbially active."

Levitt’s wife Marion was prompted to start Botanical Extracts largely due to concerns over the health risks of parabens and other chemicals, particularly after her mother’s death from cancer. Their company has been successful but Levitt says traditional skincare companies are reluctant to turn their backs on parabens, because of the extra costs involved.

"It’s a hell of a risk to undertake this rigorous testing and research when these companies know they can get something that works for one-tenth of the price," says Levitt.

"It will only ever be consumer power that changes the way these things are done."