A recent poll of over 500 parents revealed that approximately 50% of children ages 4 to 11 are using deodorant by age 11. Given that the 2007 US Census Bureau report indicated that there are 32 million children in this age group that figures to about 16 million children using deodorant before age 11. The vast majority of these children are using mainstream deodorant products, which has raised some concern from some groups because of the potential for damaging chemicals in these products. In the same study cited above, only 38% of parents were aware that there are potentially harmful chemicals contained in mainstream deodorants. Some of the chemicals under scrutiny include Parabens, Aluminum, and Propylene Glycol.
Parabens
Parabens are used in a variety of products (including food) and are generally included as a preservative, an antifungal, and for its bacterial effects. Some have speculated that there is an association between deodorants containing Parabens and breast cancer. The Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which has been shown to play a role in breast cancer (1). The study that triggered concerns was titled, “Concentrations of Parabens in Human Breast Tumors” by Darbre in the Journal of Applied Toxicology (2). This study showed that a long term, low doses of Parabens (consistent with what humans are typically exposed to) can accumulate intact in the body. They tested 20 women with breast tumors and found a substantial amount of live intact Parabens in the tumors of all the women.
Unfortunately, however, the researchers did not take tissue samples from healthy women without breast cancer, so it cannot be confirmed that the women with breast cancer had higher amounts of Parabens in their tissue than healthy women. Thus, scientists cannot prove that Parabens contribute to cancerous cell development, but the study raises many concerns about the potential role of Parabens in cancer growth.
The FDA says, “At the present time, there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of cosmetics containing Parabens. However, the agency will continue to evaluate new data in this area. If FDA determines that a health hazard exists, the agency will advise the industry and the public, and will consider its legal options under the authority of the FD&C Act in protecting the health and welfare of consumers.”(3) The FDA’s conclusion was based upon the Cosmetic Ingredient Review’s (CIR) opinion on the subject. Interestingly, the CIR is an industry sponsored organization, a company funded by cosmetic companies that use Parabens in their products.
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