Why are parabens allowed in beauty products?
Good question! The fact that parabens have been found in breast cancer tumors is a dirty secret in the beauty industry. The FDA and most of the cosmetics industry insist that parabens are safe in personal care products. However many consumer advocacy groups, including the Environmental Working Group (EWG) advise people to steer clear of these potentially harmful ingredients. Who to believe? When it comes to the health of my family, I prefer to err on the side of caution. I follow the precautionary principle which states “when an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.” Fortunately, many product manufacturers agree that parabens are risky business and have voluntarily removed parabens from their products. Let’s hope that parabens are next on the FDA’s hit list and that they will eventually be banned altogether.
