Is your personal lubricant safe?

Friday, May 24, 2013 by: Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D.
Tags: personal lubricants, parabens, ingredients

(NaturalNews) When it comes to healthy products most people forget to include their sexual health products. With the majority of people having used a personal lubricant at some point in their life and because they are directly absorbed into the bloodstream, it is important that you ensure that what you use is nontoxic.

The problem is that the majority of personal lubricants sold in drug stores, including those used and recommended by medical professionals contain controversial toxins in the form of parabens. Because they can be difficult to find, there is a link at the end of this article that will provide helpful resources on where to find paraben free lubricants as well as other important health information regarding them.

What You Need to Know About Parabens

There are different types of parabens; the most commonly used are methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben. They are used as preservatives in products and as a germicide. Manufacturers love them as they are cheap and effective at doing what they are supposed to, which is to allow for a longer shelf life of a product.

The problem is that parabens are considered by many to be toxic and are now being found in the blood of consumers at high levels. Because parabens are often used in cosmetics, women in particular are at higher risks for paraben exposure. In addition, women are more heavily exposed to parabens in personal lubricants from pap smears, vaginal dryness remedies and sexual use.

There has been some hot debate as to whether or not parabens are toxic; however, France, Denmark and other countries are already banning them-
Denmark banned two types of parabens: propylparaben and butylparaben in cosmetic products for children under the age of three on December 20th, 2010.
On May 3rd, 2011 the French National Assembly banned phthalates, alkylphenols and parabens in consumer and professional products.

The EU announced on June 26th, 2012 that they were introducing a ban on parabens in skin care products for children under the age of six months.
Growing concerns continue as parabens are known hormone disrupters and are estrogenic: mimicking natural estrogens that promote cancer. They have also been linked to allergic reactions, skin rashes, breast cancer, decreases in sperm count and difficulties surrounding fetal development in pregnant women.

The Paraben Debate

The main reason that people often dismiss parabens as not being proven toxic is because there have only been limited studies showing that they contribute to cancer. However, cancer studies so far are not the most alarming studies outlining the risks of parabens; rather it is the proven studies showing that they do in fact cause serious hormone disruption; which is reason enough to stop using them.

Research proves that parabens have been found in breast tumors once they have been examined after a biopsy. Additionally a study done in the UK in 2004 showed five types of parabens in the cancerous tumors taken from 19 of the 20 women that had them removed. While this does not show that the cancer was caused by the parabens it does show that the body is not able to metabolize or alter them and that they were able to permeate and remain in women's breasts.

In the U.S. the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), as well as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have all said that while they have not seen conclusive evidence that parabens cause cancer, they also concede that there is no conclusive evidence that it does not.
One of the greatest causes of concerns when it comes to parabens is the disruption to hormones. Studies have proven that parabens alter hormones as they mimic estrogen by binding with estradiol (a form of estrogen).

In addition, parabens are confirmed as endocrine disruptors and a Japanese study showed that exposure to butylparaben in particular reduced sperm count in men and caused "feminization of boys." Endocrine disruptions are well known to cause cancerous tumors, birth defects, and other developmental disorders.

What Personal Lubricants Are Paraben Free?

For more resources on where to buy and learn about paraben free lubricants make sure to visit the link below-

http://www.holisticwisdom.com/sex-toys-lubricant.htm

About the author:
Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D. is a Psychotherapist who has dedicated over 20 years to therapeutic practice in the mental health field with a specialization in
sexual health. She is the C.E.O. and founder of Holistic Wisdom, Inc., which provides empowering education, products and resources to promote
sexual wellness.

In addition, Dr. Lawless is the founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Science & Art in Sexuality (NAASAS.org), which is an
educational organization for professionals in the field of sexuality. In addition to classes and networking, it is through this academic organization
that Dr. Lawless has teamed with the leaders in the field to create a coalition for safe and nontoxic sexual products.