The first chemical I want to talk about is Triclosan, which is commonly found in soaps as an antimicrobial. It also appears in toothpaste and tooth whitening products, deodorants and shaving creams. Can be found on the label as Triclosan (TSC) or Triclocarbon (TCC).
Triclosan was originally made as a surgical scrub in the medical field, now it is much more common and instead of being used once in a blue moon for a medical procedure, sometimes it finds its way on our skin multiple times a day.
The main concerns regarding the use of Triclosan are endocrine disorders, particularly thyroid function. Using an antibiotic or antimicrobial often is always a concern, and in this case producing Triclosan resistant bacteria may be an issue.
Triclosan is restricted in cosmetics in Canada and Japan. Triclocarban is restricted in cosmetics by the Environment Canada Domestic Substance List. The EPA also regulates Triclosan as a pesticide.
Parabens:
Parabens are a preservative used in a wide variety of personal care products and foods. These include shampoos, conditioners, lotions, shower cleaners and scrubs. We have the potential to absorb a TON of parabens in a day. You can find almost any type of personal care product that contains parabens.
These can be found on the label under Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben.
Parabens have the ability to mimic estrogen, causing endocrine disorder concerns. Developmental and Repro issues are a concern as well. Propyl and butyl parabens appear to reduce sperm production, however, methyl and ethyl do not.
Some forms of parabens are banned in Denmark for products intended for child use.
Look for Paraben-Free on the label!
So now, go look and see how many products in your kitchens and bathrooms contain Triclosan or some form of Parabens. Luckily, Paraben - Free products are becoming pretty common, unfortunately there are tons of chemicals that are not being weeded out just yet.
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