JOY FEELINGS MAGAZINE December 2016 New Year issue | Page 66

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to the nervous system. A 2008 study from the Mount
Sinai School of Medicine found that oxybenzone
exposure to pregnant women was associated with low
birth weight baby girls. According to the Centers for
Disease Control, it is detectable in 97% of people tested
in the US.
Parabens - Parabens are preservatives with antibacterial
properties. They are widely used in all kinds of personal
care products, and particularly deodorants. Paraben on the
ingredient list is usually preceded by the prefixes methyl-,
ethyl-, butyl-, or propyl-. Parabens mimic estrogen, a
hormone that is associated with breast cancer. Parabens
can cause allergic reactions or contact dermatitis in some
people. Parabens are absorbed through the skin and have
been found in biopsied tissue from breast cancer tumours.
Safer alternatives to parabens exist, and many products
are now marketed as "paraben-free".
PEG - See Polyethylene Glycol.
Phenylenediamine - Used in permanent hair dyes,
phenylenediamine or PPD is a coal tar dye of particular
concern. It is found in most hair dyes, even products
marketed as "natural" or "herbal", and is present in high
concentrations in the darkest formulations. It may even be
found in hair dyes advertized as "black henna". Some
tattoo artists use it to darken henna tattoos. PPD is a
carcinogen, and it can also cause severe skin irritation and
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