Two Wise Teenagers Talk About Staying Away From Parabens
To a teenager, fashion, clothes, hair and makeup are everything. One magazine ad is more appealing than the other. With such a limitless selection, why would a teenager take the time or even care to read the ingredients on a product?
My daughter, Keri (age 15) can't help from knowing about the dangers of parabens from having me as her mother. Keri knows not to be fooled by the ads and to read the labels for ingredients. Keri tells her good friend Brianna (age 16) about parabens. Now Brianna is checking the labels herself and staying away from parabans.
When Keri was asked why she told Brianna about parabens she said, "Because I knew it was a cancer causing chemical and it is in her makeup and she uses her makeup every day." Do you know any other kids that know about this? "No." How do you think that eliminating parabens will have an effect on your life? "I will avoid getting cancer." If other kids knew about the dangers of parabens would they care? "No." How did you change from not caring to caring about the dangers? "Because you told me."
Brianna was asked how she heard about parabens. "From Keri." How did that information affect you? "It made me start looking at the labels and ingredients more. I found a whole line that doesn't have parabens." Why did you take this seriously? "I don't want to get cancer." Do you know of any other kids that know about this? "Only Keri."
What is paraben? Parabans are usually (but not always) listed as the last ingredient. Many products will have two or more of these chemicals. There is a word in front of paraban such as ethylparaben, methylparaben, butylparaben, and propylparaben. Here are some examples:
- PROPLYPARABEN - Potential breast cancer risk and endocrindsruptor raising concern for impaired fertility, or development, and increased risk for certain cancers, itching, burning and blistering of skin, gastrointestinal or liver toxicity hazard.
- BUTYLPARABEN - Potential breast cancer risk and endocrine disruptor raising concern for impaired fertility or development, increased risk for certain cancers, itching, burning and blistering of skin. Found in body products.
- METHYLPARABEN - Potential breast cancer risk and endocrine disruptor raising concern for impaired fertility or development of fetus, and increased risk for certain cancers, itching, burning and blistering of skin. A close cousin of benzoic acid; poisonous and moderately toxic, it is found in body products.
Parabens are used as inhibitors of microbial growth and to extend shelf life of products.It is widely used even though they are known to be toxic.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in their report "Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment:Agents of Subtle Change?" reported that the chemical preservatives called parabens-methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl(alkyl-phyfroxybenzoates)-displayed estorgenic activity in several tests. This means that these chemicals mimic your body's own hormones and can have endocrine-disrupting action when they are rubbed into your body or washed down the drain into your drinking water. These disruptors interfere with your body's endocrine system: your hypothalamus, your ovaries, your thyroid-virtually every system in your body. The EPA also stated that "continual introduction of these benzoates (parabens) into sewage treatment systems and directly to recreational waters from the skin leads to the question of risk to aquatic organisms." Scientists in Europe found other endocrine-disrupting body care chemicals in the bodies of fish that humans are eating, and in human breast milk.
Dr. Elizabeth Smith has written that "It is a known medical fact that estrogen stimulates breast cancer" and that "anything absorbed through the skin may be as high as 10 times the concentration of an oral dose."
Chemicals from underarm deodorants and other cosmetics can build up inside the body. British researchers have found traces of chemicals called parabens in tissue taken from women with breast cancer.
Dr. Philippa Darbre and colleagues at the University of Reading carried out tests on samples of 20 different human breast tumours. Writing in the Journal of Applied Toxicology, they say they found traces of parabens in every sample. Their tests suggested the chemicals had seeped into the tissue after being applied to the skin. "This is the first study to show their accumulation in human tissues. It demonstrates that if people are exposed to these chemicals (parabens), then the chemicals will accumulate in their bodies," said Dr. Darbre.
Dr. Darbre said there may be reason for people to be concerned about the findings. "Their detection in human breast tumours is of concern since parabens have been shown to be able to mimic the action of the female hormone oestrogen. Oestrogen can drive the growth of human breast tumours. It would therefore seem especially prudent to consider whether parabens should continue to be used in such a wide range of cosmetics applied to the breast area including deodorants."
Ther are also some studies that show that parabens are safe. When there are products on the market now that are paraben free, is it worth it to take a chance and not use them? There are very real potential toxic effects of parabens and the increase in breast cancer and all cancers could be directly attributed to chemicals in the body. Underarm deodorants are just one thing to be concerned about. Virtually all so-called "skin care" products have dangerous chemicals in them. Parabens are just one of a large bunch of toxic chemicals that no one has any idea of what hte long term effects are if you use them every day on your skin.
THE ONLY SURE SAFE THING IS NOT TO HAVE CONTACT WITH SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS!
I personally use only health and skin care products from the Amazon Herb Co. They are whole foods grown in virgin soil, Rainforest botanicals. These are the the BEST OF THE BEST organic products. The skin care is incredible, the healthy chocolates are delicious, the teas are cleansing and taste great, and I have great results with the health products. See these products and order them directly on the website:
www.magicoftherainforest.amazonherb.net
If a fifteen and sixteen year old teenager is wise enough to be "paraben free" let us all use them as a role model and read every label and ingredient and use only 100% pure organic paraben products. They are out there and are easy to find.
If you would like to reach me, email me at bleynor@gmail.com or leave a message at my office at 972-618-3446.
Barbara Leynor Certified Wellness Coach
P.S. Email me with your story for others to read if you have a health conscious teenager.
