Polyparaben - The Most Dangerous Of Them All

After running into the name Polyparaben a few times during a recent research session on cosmetics ingredients, my curiosity got the better of me and I simply had to take a bit of time to investigate further.

Was Polyparaben some new paraben type that had just hit the market? My initial search showed this was not the case.

A Scientific Term For Cosmetics Insiders?

'Poly' comes from Greek and means multiple or many, so perhaps polyparaben was a term used within some circles to describe 'a mix of parabens'. Even though I'd never seen or heard it used as such, it certainly wasn't impossible. But no.

The Hazard Warning

It was because I came across Polyparaben on a cosmetics ingredients watchlist that I really got serious about researching this paraben. The watchlist categorized Polyparaben as having a Hazard Warning. The reason? 'due to lack of information about this ingredient'.

No wonder. It may be their lack of information is due to that fact that there is no such ingredient as Poly-paraben.

Meet The Parabens

These are the parabens that have been/are being commonly used in cosmetics ingredients. 

- Butylparaben

- Isobutylparaben
- Ethylparaben
- Methylparaben
- Propylparaben
- Isopropylparaben

There are others (such as Heptylparaben, but I have never come across this particular paraben in the world of cosmetics and skin care)

Of the above listed, the following parabens are at present under study due to possible hormonal interference:
- Butylparaben
- Isobutylparaben
- Propylparaben
- Isopropylparaben

Leaving these 2 parabens (still) on the OK list:
- Ethylparaben
- Methylparaben

How Was Polyparaben Born?

What I think happened: someone misread, mispelled and/or mispronounced propylparaben, passed the 'information' on to someone else, and voilá – the most dangerous paraben type of all was born – the nonexistent one!

PS: If you're wondering which cosmetics ingredients watchlist had Polyparaben listed with a hazard warning, I can only say: I politely decline to name names.

UPDATE

As of December 2010, the SCCS has approved butylparaben and propylparaben for use in cosmetics.

More info in the comments below.