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mommy101405
January 8th, 2009, 03:00 PM
I have a shampoo that says no SLS or parabens. Are parabens what LHC folks consider cones or are they something different? If they are different then why are they bad for hair?

Flaxen
January 8th, 2009, 03:07 PM
Parabens are preservatives. There is some controversy over their possible estrogenic effects through the skin, but as far as hair goes, they don't cause a problem.

Pegasus Marsters
January 8th, 2009, 03:18 PM
Loads of people are against parabens on here but I don't think anyone even seems to know why. They're just a preservative and you'll find them in tons of products.

Aisha25
January 8th, 2009, 03:21 PM
How do you know when it had parabens? What is the names of them??

Flaxen
January 8th, 2009, 03:45 PM
How do you know when it had parabens? What is the names of them??
Methlyparaben
Ethylparaben
Propylparaben
Butylparaben
Isobutylparaben
Isopropylparaben
Benzylparaben

chloeishere
January 8th, 2009, 03:54 PM
Parabens are preservatives. There is some controversy over their possible estrogenic effects through the skin, but as far as hair goes, they don't cause a problem.
:thumbsup:

Unless you are allergic to parabens (in which case you will probably have more serious side effects than something happening to your hair), they will have absolutely no negative effect on the hair (or scalp). And you'd definitely know if you were allergic, as they are in a lot of commercial products.

The hype over parabens is... well, mostly hype. If you don't use tons and tons of products with them, you won't ever have a problem. Even if you do use tons of products with lots of them, the chances of you having any sort of issue is still really small.

mommy101405
January 8th, 2009, 03:56 PM
Thanks everyone for the input!

Aisha25
January 8th, 2009, 03:58 PM
Methlyparaben
Ethylparaben
Propylparaben
Butylparaben
Isobutylparaben
Isopropylparaben
Benzylparaben
So I take it has parabens in the name:lol: Thanks Flaxen:flower:

HairColoredHair
January 8th, 2009, 04:03 PM
Parabens have been indicated as a possible increase in breast cancer...

However, what hasn't been?

Bene
January 8th, 2009, 04:15 PM
i just wiki'd parabens (i know i know, not a reliable source) and they have a section on the breast cancer connection.


Breast cancer

One scientific study reports that parabens were found in samples of breast tumors.[11] The validity of this study's conclusions has been debated in the scientific literature.[12] Nevertheless, this study has fueled the belief that parabens in underarm deodorants or other cosmetics migrated into the breast tissue and contributed to the development of the tumors. However, no causal link with cancer has ever been proven and so far there is no scientific evidence to support any link with any form of cancer. A recent review of the available data[13] has concluded "it is biologically implausible that parabens could increase the risk of any estrogen-mediated endpoint, including effects on the male reproductive tract or breast cancer" and that "that worst-case daily exposure to parabens would present substantially less risk relative to exposure to naturally occurring endocrine active chemicals (EACs) in the diet such as the phytoestrogen daidzein."[14] In addition, the American Cancer Society has concluded that there is no good scientific evidence to support a claim that use of cosmetics such as antiperspirants increase an individual's risk of developing breast cancer.[15]


checked the citation, looks legit. the source, that is, not the paraben causes breast cancer claim.

Flaxen
January 8th, 2009, 05:04 PM
So I take it has parabens in the name:lol:
:agree: :lol:


Thanks Flaxen:flower:
You're very welcome. :smile:

Sissy
January 8th, 2009, 08:28 PM
This is a very good post as I have often wondered this myself. I did try looking up parabens before but couldn't really decide what exactly was bad about them. Now I know it's not much to worry about!

Thanks!

Fluke
January 9th, 2009, 01:49 AM
What I've heard about why parabens are "bad" is that while it's relatively harmless for adults the estrogen issues are not so harmless for children who have not yet reached puberty.
Some of the claims have even been that it is the increased use of parabens that are to blame for children, especially girls, going into puberty earlier and earlier.
While "just" earlier puberty doesn't sound so bad it doesn't mean that the hormonal problems stops there, the group this might have affected and might affect are not yet old enough to see any long-term problems that might be related to parabens.

In any case I try to avoid products with parabens for my DD4 :flower:

inspiral
January 9th, 2009, 02:01 AM
i generally try to avoid using synthetic chemicals topically or internally. i go for products that are as natural and unaltered as possible. it is hard to be sure of the long term effects of using products with all sorts of synthetic chemicals on a daily basis, so i avoid them as much as possible.

Sissy
January 9th, 2009, 05:32 PM
What I've heard about why parabens are "bad" is that while it's relatively harmless for adults the estrogen issues are not so harmless for children who have not yet reached puberty.
Some of the claims have even been that it is the increased use of parabens that are to blame for children, especially girls, going into puberty earlier and earlier.
While "just" earlier puberty doesn't sound so bad it doesn't mean that the hormonal problems stops there, the group this might have affected and might affect are not yet old enough to see any long-term problems that might be related to parabens.

In any case I try to avoid products with parabens for my DD4 :flower:

That is a very good point, regarding your young one. I think it is worth noting and when I have children I will avoid parabens as well... early puberty sounds bad enough! I didn't get mine till 14, but nowadays girls are getting it as early as 10... that's too young, poor things. It's nice to just be a little girl and not have to feel self-conscious about if you're the only one hitting puberty.

EllisGurl
January 9th, 2009, 06:29 PM
Endocrine disruptors: Parabens, in addition to being preservatives, are xenoestrogens or endocrine disrupters. They disturb the hormone balance in your body. They are also skin sensitizers and have the potential to cause allergic reactions. They have been found in breast cancer tumors, but it is not known if they cause breast cancer.

from To Your Health (http://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=1109&pagenumber=3). I personally choose to avoid them but to each his/her own.

SimplyLonghair
January 9th, 2009, 06:39 PM
I cannot use any parabens as they cause an alleric reaction for me.... I think that the overdosing on chemical dyes for years of commercial color on my hair, as well as undiagnosed celiac disease has caused me to have a problem with many products......:rolleyes: Oh well I like being greener anyway.

Bene
January 9th, 2009, 06:59 PM
there's actual proof that grilled meat can cause cancer, which is more than something being rumored to cause cancer, and hey a lot of ppl still eat grilled meat.

i think companies will say "NOW WITH NO [insert chemical name here]" because they are taking advantage of rumors of that chemical causing cancer so that they can sell more. because really, unless it's proven that a chemical is harmful to health, companies will fight tooth and nail to keep using it just to maintain profits.




While exposure to sufficient doses of exogenous estrogen can increase the risk of certain adverse effects, the presumption that similar risks might also result from exposure to endocrine-active chemicals (EACs) with far weaker activity is still speculative.



.... using worst-case assumptions pertaining to total daily exposures to parabens and dose/potency comparisons with both human and animal no-observed-effect levels (NOELs) and lowest-observed-effect levels (LOELs) for estrogen or DES, it is biologically implausible that parabens could increase the risk of any estrogen-mediated endpoint, including effects on the male reproductive tract or breast cancer.

cited from:

Golden, Robert; Gandy, Jay; Vollmer, Guenter. A Review of the Endocrine Activity of Parabens and Implications for Potential Risks to Human Health. Critical Reviews in Toxicology (2005), 35(5), 435-458.


not to be rude or anything, but i kinda trust the ppl of from pubmed.gov than the ppl who are trying to sell something.



i completely understand not wanting to expose pre-pubescent children. it's prudent, you don't wanna mess with your little kid's hormonal development. and it's cool to give ppl information about it, but it's a bit alarmist to boldly state something causes cancer if the people who actually know about it says it doesn't.