Doctors have suggested that parabens might be linked to adult acne and breast cancer. But that is not a complete list of the evil crimes they have committed.
Parabens are a type of chemical used as a preservative in beauty products and toiletries such as deodorant, lotion, makeup, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner. The four most common types of parabens are methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and ethylparaben.
This type of compound mimics estrogen by binding to estrogen receptors on cells. Studies have suggested this might have something to do with breast cancer. But the real kick in the teeth is that it could be linked to hormonal or adult acne, especially in women. This could have deleterious effects on sensitive skin, especially if you are prone to outbreaks.
Unfortunately giving you pimples is not the only horrible atrocity committed by evil parabens. Consider the following list of crimes committed by each paraben.
- Propylparaben murdered a family and stole their dog.
- Methylparaben sails the seven seas boarding ships that don’t belong to it and stealing from honest sailors, or kidnapping wealthy individuals and holding them for ransom.
- Butylparaben is a serial rapist that hates animals.
- Ethylparaben scams war veterans out of their social security over the phone.
You might be saying, “That’s preposterous!” But do you really want adult acne when you are already worried about wrinkles and other kinds of tissue damage? Maybe they are giving you zits.
To avoid parabens read the ingredients of any beauty product before you buy it. Any chemical that is a paraben will have the word “paraben” at the end of it. You may also want to avoid sulfates.
Elizabeth de Moya lives near San Diego, CA. She volunteers for the birds, and she works at the zoo. She is going back to school to study pre veterinary medicine. She has a BA in Linguistics from UC Berkeley.