Health Tip: Beware of Parabens

Jergens Lotion contains Methlparaben and Proplyparaben

 So I'll have to admit that this blog entry is a little selfish of me.  I really just wanted to do some research on parabens for myself but I'll let you in on what I found and my opinion of these chemicals :).

While I was transitioning, I came across many sites that warned me against using hair products that contained certain ingredients.  Most commonly, I was told to stay away from petroleum, mineral oil, and parabens.  I understood the first two, but I had no idea what on earth a paraben was.  So I did a little research and it turns out that parabens are chemicals used as preservatives.  The kicker is that these chemicals have been linked to breast cancer!

The first wake up call that I had was in using that "brown gel" to style my hair.  I had heard of warnings of using that gel but I didn't know the reasons.  I was really confused when my own licensed hair dresser used it on my hair.  I figured if she thought it was okay to use then it can't be that bad.  Wrong! After using nearly the whole jar and then reading about parabens, I came to realize that the "brown gel" most definitely contains them.  I was in shock and quickly made the switch to Eco-Styler gel.

My grandmother died of breast cancer so this deadly disease is already apart of me in a way.  I certainly do not want to increase my chances by using products with parabens, but when I started paying more attention to labels, I realized I've been in danger longer than I thought.  Parabens are not only found in hair products, they're in make up, lotion, toothpaste, food and much more.  Apparently, parabens are so widely used because they are inexpensive.  You can read more about the risk of parabens here.

Though there have been no "direct" links to cancer, parabens are very controversial. I most definitely do not want to play around with them, however it seems like they're everywhere.  I am a victim to using cosmetics that contain them but again, it is the affordability of these products that draws me in.  Mineral makeup and other natural products really work towards not containing these harsh chemicals but they can cost you an arm and a leg.  At the end of the day, I think it is best for everyone to limit their intake of parabens as much as possible.  Better safe than sorry.