Do you use paraben free products?

I have made up my mind about parabens, but I am wondering if there are anybody out there convinced that Parabens are not really a health risk. OK, so this is what I know.

Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in many body care products such as liquid soap, shampoo, deodorants, toothpaste etc...

Parabens are esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid, from which the name is derived. Common parabens include methylparaben (E number E218), ethylparaben (E214), propylparaben (E216) and butylparaben.

Although, some believe that parabens are safe because very little is used in products. Parabens are known to mimic the hormone estrogen, which can cause breast cancer. According to a recent study, by Philippa Darbre, an oncology expert at the university of Reading, in Edinburgh, the chemical form of the parabens found in 18 of the 20 tumors tested indicated that they originated from something applied to the skin, the most likely from deodorants, antiperspirants, creams, or body sprays.

The study concluded that parabens can be absorbed through the skin and retained in breast tissue. Because Parabens act as estrogen, it is indicated a possible relationship between paraben exposure and breast cancer and/or male reproductive function.

The FDA did not conclude that Parabens are harmful , subsequently they did not ban parabens. The main concerns is that only few research have been conducted regarding the potential health risk that parabens may cause.

More comprehensive studies are needed to conclusively determine the true scope of the damaging effects of prolonged exposure to parabens by way of personal care products we use every day. It is obvious that a serious effort to reassess the safety of these products must be undertaken by a non-biased group of researchers.

In conclusion, we are not able to prove that parabens are killing us, but in the doubt, wouldn't you prefer to use products that don not contain parabens . There are so many great organic products that do not use parabens, so why take a chance?

Here is a list of brand I would recommend: Aura Cacia, Shea Terra Organics, Nature's Gate Organics , Lily of the desert.

Are you using paraben free products? Which ones? Please share your thoughts on this topic.

Thank You

Sandra