I would like to share with you the results of an in vitro test
performed recently by Dr Philippa Darbre at Reading University. The
test is very simple: breast cancer cells incubated for 4 days with and
without 0.00019% isobutylparaben. See below the breast cancer cells
before the incubation (1) and after the incubation without (2) and with
isobutylparaben (3)
Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
I am aware that this is an vitro test, so all the complexity of the
human body is taken out of the equation, however I believe they are
still valid in showing there is reason to be concerned about this
compound. You can clearly see that after 4 days the breast cancer cells
do grow more than the ones without. I believe that the major cancer
trigger is emotional stress, however environmental factors like this
can promote the cancer cells growth making it bigger.
If you add
the fact that parabens do get absorbed through the skin and that they
are found in urine, we need to think about their journey through the
body as well as their interaction on their journey with other parts of
the body. Once they are in the blood stream they are in...
Parabens
are not only used in cosmetics but also in many drugs such as cough
mixtures (usually they are not declared on the label), however when
they get ingested they get exposed to the stomach juices and get
transformed into something considered to be safe. This indicates that
the parabens found in urine do come form the skin absorption rather
than ingestion.
What to do as a consumer? Well my suggestion is
to read the ingredients list before you buy your cosmetics in order to
avoid them.
At a regulatory level isopropylparaben and
butylparaben are under review and the European scientific committee has
asked for more data to fill the data gaps. The industry might reply
that there is no money to invest in the new research, so what might
happen is the ban of these substances based on the lack of the evidence
requested.
I shall keep you posted..
References:
"In
vitro skin permeation and retention of parabens in cosmetic skin
formulations", Pedersen, Marra, Nicoli and Santi, International Journal
of Cosmetic Science 2007, 29, 361-367; "Assessment of principal
parabens used in cosmetics after their passage through human
epidermis-dermis layers (ex-vivo study", El Hussein S, Muret P, Berard
M, Makki S, Humbert P, Exp Dermatol. 2007 Oct;16(10):830-6;
“Parabens as urinary biomarkers of exposure in humans”, Xiaoyun Ye, Amber Bishop..., Environ. Health Perspect, 114, 1843-1846