FRIDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Is your deodorant boosting your breast cancer risk? And how much chemical preservative in hand and body lotions is too much? News reports over the past few years have heightened consumer awareness of the myriad chemicals found in everyday beauty and hygiene products, but two expert dermatologists say it pays to investigate before tossing any product into the bathroom wastebasket. The debate over deodorants and antiperspirants is one good example. Small studies have suggested that daily use of these products might raise a woman's risk for breast cancer over time, especially given the armpit's proximity to sensitive breast tissue. But Dr. Lisa Donofrio, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine, said that "there have also been a couple of studies that have been pretty good at showing that [these products] -- at least the aluminum in them -- are not really related to breast cancer." While future studies might turn up additional data, "this debate right now is probably closer to 'case closed,' " she said. One issue that remains an ongoing source of concern for Donofrio is that of preservatives called "parabins" found in a wide range of beauty products meant to have a very long shelf life. One reason manufacturers tend to use parabins is that a small minority of consumers develop allergies to a competing class of preservatives, formaldehyde releasers. "So, parabins are now found across the board in beauty items -- makeup, and most commonly in lotions," Donofrio said. But the problem with parabins is that they "are estrogenic, meaning they will bind to estrogen receptors [on cells], and in test tube studies, they actually stimulate breast cancer cells," she said. Higher levels of circulating estrogens has long been a prime risk factor for breast cancer. Industry experts note that parabins are used in extremely small amounts in health and beauty products. "For that reason, they say they're just in too small amounts to cause any problems," Donofrio said. "But over a lifetime, with daily use of these creams, we don't actually know what the cumulative dose really is." For that reason, Donofrio advises that anyone not allergic to formaldehyde releasers shy away from products containing parabins, which are usually noted on label ingredient lists as either methyl parabin or propyl parabin. For those people who are allergic to formaldehyde releasers, she suggests using products containing a third class of preservative, sodium benzoate. Compared to parabins, "it's the lesser of two evils," the Yale expert said. Check out Daisy Blue Naturals for all natural bath and body products. For more information you can contact me at Daisyblue@dazyblu.com or visit www.dazyblu.com
Collene Anderson
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