Is it safe to use Methylparabens?

Introduction

Methylparaben belongs to a group of chemicals known as parabens. These are preservative ingredients that people have used for almost 100 years to prevent the growth of fungi, bacteria, and yeast, which could cause products to spoil. They occur naturally in several fruits, including blueberries. However, manufacturers often produce the compound artificially by combining 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and methanol. They can then use methylparaben as a preservative to extend the shelf life of products.

The widely uses

Methylparaben has several functions, most of which involve preserving products. These include uses such as:

antimicrobial food preservatives

antifungal agents

neuroprotective agents

plant metabolites

allergenic testing agents.

Hence, many products may contain methylparaben, such as makeup, hair styling, shaving cream, moisturizers, food, and drugs. A product's packaging usually states whether it contains methylparaben or other parabens.

Safety

Methylparaben doesn't accumulate in the body. The body flushes the chemical out pretty quickly. Despite this, many consumers are concerned about the safety of methylparaben. These concerns have increased in light of a claimed link to cancer risk.

While the FDA is reviewing these studies, they haven't found anything to show that parabens are unsafe for use in cosmetics, foods, or drugs. In addition, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) lists methylparaben as being a low to moderate health hazard. However, the hazard is only related to allergic reactions or product usage exceeding the recommended level. The EWG lists methylparaben's risk of causing cancer and reproductive toxicity at 0 per cent.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tested the urine of more than 2,548 participants in a 2005 to 2006 survey. CDC researchers found that most participants had some methylparaben in their urineTrusted Source. They also found that the chemical didn't signal a problem.

Methylparaben is found in many skincare products, but it can cause allergic reactions like contact dermatitis, so patients with sensitive, reactive skin should steer clear of the ingredients. It is always best to proceed cautiously and test a product on a small portion of your skin before applying it.

Applying personal care products containing parabens—especially methylparaben—can lead to UV-induced damage to skin cells and disruption of cell proliferation (cell growth rate). Daily application, in particular, can lead to increased concentrations of methylparaben because it is not completely metabolized. Parabens combined with other estrogenic chemicals may potentially influence the development of malignant melanoma, one form of skin cancer, through their estrogenic and genotoxic activities.