The Vanicream Cure

Very unfortunately, I have to update this post. I learned on August 14th, 2008 that my beloved Vanicream, the paraben-, phthalate-, and formaldehyde-free lotion of choice has been linked in a single study to increased tumors to mice previously exposed to UV Rays. This doesn't necessarily mean that Vanicream is dangerous; as always, more research needs to be done. The research was released August 14th in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. However, until more research is done, I am still using Vanicream because it seems to me that compared to the negative effects of paraben and phthalate-laden products (chemicals whose negative health effects are voluminously documented in the research), this single study on an otherwise safe, formaldehyde-free, paraben and phthalate-free product is scary but flimsy. I will provide you with more information so you can make your own choices. Do remember that a single study does not a conclusion make. From Bloomberg's coverage of this story:

In the study, hairless mice were exposed to ultraviolet light twice a week for 20 weeks, which increased their rate of developing tumors. They were then rubbed with skin creams once a day, five days a week, for 17 weeks. In some cases, moisturized mice had twice as many tumors.

News coverage about it can be found below:

CBS News on Investigative Dermatology report
Bloomberg News on the report

I leave my original post intact below.

One of the most challenging aspects of the whole phthalate and paraben issue is finding products that are both phthalate and paraben free. Then there is a whole other can of worms called formaldehyde. Many personal products contain formaldehyde and formaldehyde donors, which act as preservatives. The list of adverse reactions to formaldehyde has been well-documented. And yet you won't see this ingredient listed as formaldehyde on an ingredient label.

I bring this up because my son developed a rather severe case of what was diagnosed as eczema on his trunk and shoulders. Nothing we did seemed to help. We wondered about our washing machine and our detergents, even though I only use Seventh Generation, purportedly free of any harmful ingredients. We even switched from Burt's Bees baby wash to California Baby's everything-free baby wash. No luck. After taking him to the doctor and being prescribed a light steroid oil and large quantities of Vanicream, his eczema cleared up in a few days. I give the credit to Vanicream. Vanicream is a paraben, phthalate, fragrance and formaldehyde-free lotion. In my opinion, it's a miracle products. And no, I have no connection whatsoever to Vanicream. I remember having seen a jar of Vanicream in my mother's dressing area a few years ago, pumping out a little in my hand, and thinking: this smells like nothing. I was still using lotion for perfume purposes then, loving the light scent of rose or magnolia on my skin. Now, of course, I only use unscented body lotion, but I remember thinking at the time: "What is the point of a lotion that doesn't smell good?"

The point is that it is safe and extremely effective. My son's skin drank the lotion up. So many products, even those labeled "natural" or--and this amazes me--"fragrance-free", contain fragrance-maskers. The ingredients that go into a lotion don't often smell too good, and so fragrance is used to get rid of that smell. And often in order to get a product to smell fragrance-free, you actually have to use...a fragrance.

"Fragrance", when listed on an ingredient list, can contain any of 4000 ingredients. Almost all of them are synthetic, and can cause skin reactions and even dizziness and headaches. Personally, I think the majority of the population can handle "fragrance", if they want to, but there is a sizable population of extremely sensitive adults and children who suffer greatly the effects of fragrance, formaldehyde in personal products, parabens, and phthlates. The term most often used to describe what these folks suffer from is Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

Which brings me back to Vanicream--finally. The company that manufactures Vanicream (Pharmaceutical Specialities, Inc.) maintains a website that outlines its product line but also goes through a list of common irritants found in the vast majority of personal care products. This list shouldn't scare anyone--the only ones to worry about, in my opinion, in terms of systemic and cumulative effects are parabens--but it could provide a starting point for anyone suffering from skin irritation, rashes, eczema, and the like. Print out the list the site provides and compare the list to the ingredient list of your favorite products. You might find an answer there.

And finally, a side note on parabens: A fascinating 2005 article in Chemical and Engineering News talks about the use of parabens as preservatives in cosmetic products and how companies that manufacture these products, and the chemical companies that provide the esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (a.k.a. parabens) to them are now under pressure to find alternatives. The article insinuates that this isn't because parabens are harmful, but instead because the public perceives that they are harmful. Like all science trying to determine causal links between substances and diseases, this one will be up for debate for a long time. But two major studies started the ball rolling on the paraben issue, at least. The first, and most famous, appeared in a 2004 edition of the Journal of Toxicology, revealing that parabens had been found in breast cancer tumors. Since parabens mimic estrogen, the research suggested a connection between the parabens and breast cancer. Another study, this one in Japan, suggested that parabens in lotion accelerated skin aging.

In any case, what the article illuminated was the power of the consumer to force change, even if the science is still being debated. That the industry's death-grip on parabens is loosening little by little is a major victory, and whether or not it's chalked up to "public perception" or serious science matters little to me. What matters is that things are changing.