Parabens are industrial preservatives used in many personal care products, cosmetics and foods for over 70 years. Although paraben use progressively expanded worldwide, the frequency of sensitization and allergic contact dermatitis has remained remarkably low and stable. The American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS) named parabens the 2019 NON-ALLERGEN of THE YEAR due to their ongoing safety and low allergenic potential!

Out of the rest of preservatives, paraben has the lowest sensitization rates of 0.5%-1.4%– and these rates are stable since the 1990’s. Unfortunately, since the unsubstantiated media and general public backlash on parabens, the manufacturing companies have replaced it with other preservatives which have higher allergenic potential. Many patients mistakenly purchase “paraben-free” products in the hope of avoiding exposure to toxic chemicals, however are inadvertently getting exposure to alternative preservatives which are strong sensitizers and highly allergenic.

Fransway  AF, Fransway  PJ, Belsito  DV,  et al.  Parabens.  Dermatitis. 2019;30(1):3-31.

Deza  G, Giménez-Arnau  AM.  Allergic contact dermatitis in preservatives: current standing and future options.  Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017;17(4):263-268