Even I, someone who makes a living talking about things like your body lotion, wasnt quite sure what the big deal was about parabens. So I called up Ian Ginsberg, a pharmacist whose family has owned the iconic New York City pharmacy C.O. Bigelow for 80 years, to answer all my questions about parabens.
What Are Parabens?
The short answer is that parabens are a specific family of preservatives that help things like grooming products and food last longer. Every product has to have preservatives in it, otherwise it wouldn't last, says Ginsberg. It wouldn't sit on the shelf. It wouldn't be able to travel. Chances are, unless youre growing all of your own food and mixing up your own soaps and generally living off the grid, the vast majority of products you use and consume everyday contain some sort of preservative.
Why Do Grooming Products Have Preservatives?
The preservatives we put in cosmetic products keep them stable over a long period of time, say Ginsberg. When we make a product that has water in it, it can grow bacteria, it can grow mold, it can grow yeast. So it's almost like an antibiotic. It protects the formula from growing anything bacterial, viral, or fungal. You may notice that some of your grooming products (especially those containing a lot of naturally-derived ingredients) have expiration dates, but theyre generally long, because youre likely not going to use an entire bottle of moisturizer in a week. You can thank preservatives for that.
Why Do People Think Parabens Are Dangerous? Are They Really Linked to Cancer?
Long story short, according to Ginsberg, parabens are the victim of groundswell hysteria linked to our current cultural chemical-phobia. Parabens are chemicals, yes, but theyre use in an infinitesimal amount in these products, says Ginsberg, who notes that weve been using them for decades before recently deciding they are terrible.
It all goes back to a small study in 2004 , which Ginsberg notes was not controlled, where they found parabens in their normal state (i.e. not metabolized by the body) in some womens breast tumors. According to Ginsberg, it is impossible to determine where these parabens came from, but it was enough to cement their reputation as cancer-causing endocrine disruptors. From that point the groundswell was swift and complete, with environmental groups, health advocates, and whistleblowers amplifying the findings.
The idea that parabens in personal care products are bad is predicated on the idea that ingredients in topical products can penetrate into the body. Ginsberg is skeptical that any significant amount of parabens can penetrate through the skin, but truthfully, the science doesnt definitively fall on either side.
Are There Still Products With Parabens Out There?
Yes, but not as many as youd think. While most of the products you consume still have preservatives in them, many companies have opted to stop using parabens, even if they dont note it on the bottle. There's actually no country in the world that says that parabens are unsafe, says Ginsberg. But the groundswell from people has been so loud that the companies just said, The hell with it. We'll just use something else. We've all been substituting other preservatives lately.
If A Product Doesnt Say Its Paraben-Free, Does That Mean It Has Them?
Not necessarily, since a lot of what you read on the bottle is marketing. In Europe you're not allowed to [say things like paraben-free on the bottle] anymore, because when you say something is free of something, you're insinuating that it's bad, says Ginsberg. If youre really concerned about things like parabens, read the ingredients list instead and look for words that end in -paraben.
So Should I Only Buy Products That Are Paraben-Free?
Ultimately, its your choice. If youre worried about the effect parabens can have on your body, and youve done your research, the good news is that there are plenty of options out there if you want to go paraben-free. The bad news is that these products will likely still contain other preservatives, which are just as mysterious as parabens. We have studied parabens for years and they're really effective, says Ginsberg. The other preservatives were using arent as good and I dont know if were going to be saying the same thing ten years from now about those.