Review of aluminum, paraben, and sulfate product disclaimers on personal care products

Abstract Background Product disclaimers listed on personal care products face limited regulation. These disclaimers may be helpful or may mislead the public. Objective Review the evidence supporting the potential harms of three compounds commonly addressed by product disclaimers: parabens, aluminum, and sulfates. Methods Reported cases of adverse events to these compounds were identified. Trends in allergic contact dermatitis to chemicals used in place of these compounds were also identified. Results There is limited evidence that parabens and aluminum pose a threat to human health; there is even less evidence that topical sulfate containing products pose a danger to consumers. In the setting of paraben avoidence, there has been a steady increase in cases of allergic contact dermatitis to preservatives which are more allergenic, specifically the isothiazolinones. Limitations Assessment of the toxicology of these compounds is ongoing and may change with new data. Conclusion There is limited evidence that parabens, aluminum, and sulfates used in personal care products pose a health risk. There is evidence that avoidance of parabens has resulted in an epidemic of allergic contact dermatitis to isothiazolonine preservatives.