Do Rodan + Fields® products contain Parabens?Parabens are the most commonly used preservatives in personal care products are can also be found in some oral products and foods. Their main goal is to help prevent microbial contamination to help keep products and you the consumer, safe and increase shelf life. Recently studies have reported that parabens can mimic estrogen when they are absorbed by the skin. The FDA has determined that it is very unlikely that these low levels of parabens in the products would increase the risk associated with estrogenic chemicals. To date, there have been no conclusive stud-ies which confirm a direct link between breast cancer and parabens.

As you know, it is Rodan + Fields goal to provide consumers with safe and effective products and we will continue to monitor the FDA’s recommendations and act accordingly.

If you are concerned about using parabens, check with your health professional. We are absolutely committed to our customers’ safety.

What are parabens?Parabens, commonly used in cosmetics, are a group of organically synthesized preservatives. Common parabens include: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben, and butylparaben.

Parabens provide two important functions. First, they prevent the deterioration of products from contamination by mi-cro-organisms. Second, they extend the products’ shelf life. Without preservatives, bacteria, mold, fungi, and “germs” can deteriorate products and cause safety issues. Parabens are among the most widely used of preservatives, having been widely used in cosmetic and topical products for more than fifty years.

What is the recent controversy surrounding parabens?Recently there have been reports circulating questioning the safety of parabens. These reports espouse an unproven theory relating parabens to breast cancer.

“You may have heard some media reports indicating that parabens are environmental estrogens. Here is some ad-ditional perspective on those allegations. Environmental estrogens are natural or man-made substances found in the environments that have been shown to exhibit some level of activity similar to the natural human hormone, estrogen. Such substances include phytoestrogens, which are found in your daily diet in fruits and vegetables and are thought to have beneficial health effects.

With specific regard to the parabens, they have been tested in university laboratories for potential estrogenic activity, but there was no indication of estrogenic activity for parabens that were fed orally to laboratory rats, even at very high doses that exceed in-use conditions by hundreds- to thousands-fold.”

Paraben Safety; Procter and Gamble October 31, 2007

Parabens: Frequently Asked Questions

What do the experts say?The FDA has determined that it is very unlikely that these low levels of parabens in the products would increase the risk associated with estrogenic chemicals. To date, there have been no conclusive studies which confirm a direct link between breast cancer and parabens.

“There has been no causal link found between the use of parabens and breast cancer - a view shared by several cancer charities. Scientific safety studies have demonstrated that parabens are safe both for human health and in the environment. None of the extensive research carried out on the parabens has indicated a potential risk of harm to hu-man health and parabens remain amongst the safest of preservatives in today’s cosmetic products. They are among the most widely used preservatives, having been in use for more than fifty years with an excellent safety record,” ac-cording to David Steinberg, Regulatory Expert.

Conclusion:Rodan + Fields is committed to formulating products that are both safe and effective. All of our products undergo stability, irritancy, compatibility, and microbial testing. We also validate our products and their effectiveness with con-sumer trials prior to market introduction.

Rodan + Fields reviews its products and ingredients on a regular basis and adheres to the recommendations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Personal Care Products Council, two bodies that have thoroughly re-searched parabens.

Rodan + Fields will continue to monitor the FDA’s recommendations and act accordingly. If you have any concerns about using a product which contains parabens, consult with your health professional.