[SkinCareDiva]

I was wondering what everyone thought about the recent controversy about parabens used as preservatives in products. Seems to be a lot of info out there but no conclusive evidence it actually causes cancer-although parabens have been found in all breast tissue from brest cancer patients. Anyone have anything to say about this?

Lately I have been avoiding deodorant if I'm freshly showered and staying home or not going anyplace where its warm, to avoid the aluminum in the deodorant. Feel free to comment on that too.

 

[periwinkle]

I was wondering what everyone thought about the recent controversy about parabens used as preservatives in products. Seems to be a lot of info out there but no conclusive evidence it actually causes cancer-although parabens have been found in all breast tissue from brest cancer patients. Anyone have anything to say about this?

Lately I have been avoiding deodorant if I'm freshly showered and staying home or not going anyplace where its warm, to avoid the aluminum in the deodorant. Feel free to comment on that too.

I've been using aluminum free deodorant for many years now. I've read too many negatives such as increasing alzheimers risk.

 

[SkinCareDiva]

Oddly enough I have a very low tolerance to the heat and humidity and sweat at the slightest exertion on my body but the place I sweat least (if ever) is my arm pits so I am thinking about avoiding deodorant unless I will really need it. A few puffs of cornstarch powder should be enough. I am never more than 10 hours from shower to shower and really, why put more and more chemicals on our skin when really not necessary. Is that why everyone in USA has cancer, it seems?

Remember the movie the Incredible Shrinking Woman with Lily Tomlin? (ok, again showing my age) It was all her personal care products that caused her to shrink! She was so full of chemicals! Ironic now, isn't it?

 

[gymrat]

Wow-so weird this came up. Over the weekend our son came home for a visit from college, before he left we went and stocked up on all of his bathroom essentials. Deodorant being one of them. He began explaining to me about the aluminum in deodorants and the effects it could cause. I had no idea!! I was shocked that my son in college would have this info and myself be left out of this loop. Majority of deodorants do have aluminum in them, although my son has found one without it. So that is good, if that is what is important to him. For myself, deodorant is a must. I can't imagine going without it, as I live in CA. I guess I better check the ingredients though! Thanks for the reminder

 

[Mari]

Most people don't look at the ingredients in products -- whether they're food or cosmetic. A lot don't even care. Keep informed, if you feel uneasy about using a product with an ingredient you think is suspect find a substitute. Also, watch where the products are being manufactured. Quality control is another thing to worry about.

I think this is the reason why so many people are turning to organic products.

 

[SkinCareDiva]

Then again I think, I drink alcohol, live in a polluted city, eat nuclear meats and vegetables (that I rarely wash) grown in god-knows-what, so is not using parabens or aluminum really making any difference in the bigger picture? Really our environments are so full of pollutants from every aspect- what we eat, drink, breathe, put on our skin. Is one small change enough to make a difference or to even care about it?

 

[periwinkle]

Then again I think, I drink alcohol, live in a polluted city, eat nuclear meats and vegetables (that I rarely wash) grown in god-knows-what, so is not using parabens or aluminum really making any difference in the bigger picture? Really our environments are so full of pollutants from every aspect- what we eat, drink, breathe, put on our skin. Is one small change enough to make a difference or to even care about it?

I think so. You gotta start somewhere. Or at least should.

 

[fawnie]

Well, as far as parabens are concerned, this is the FDA's stance on it, for what that is worth:FDA on Parabens

But this is another recommendation, so I guess decide for yourself:Potentially harmful ingredients

 

[Freddy]

I guess it doesn't hurt to avoid it, but it's true that there are many other things out there that can cause more damage to us. Even house paint can cause cancer.

 

[stargateric]

I wouldn't trust FDA completely. Just because FDA findings indicates no immediate potential harm to the skin does not imply the ingredient is completely safe. After all, there are too many cases whereby drugs approved by FDA were subsequently found to cause serious side effects and FDA respond is just to request the drug manufacturer to warn users of potential side effects. Take for instance the acne oral drug Accutane which has various serious side effects and yet FDA approve such drugs to be sold in the market.
It is interesting to note that most of the FDA research and analysis of drugs and cosmetic products are funded big time by the drug and cosmetic manufacturers. It is not surprising that Big pharma and big cosmetic companies might tweak the data and health risk report to their advantage.

 

[gymrat]

Imagine how miserable we all would be if the world was perfect! It would give us nothing to gripe about!