Are PEGs Safe and What are They?

If you read the labels on your personal care products, you will likely see the acronym PEG in the list of ingredients.

PEG stands for polyethylene glycol and is a compound you will find it is fairly common. But just how safe is polyethylene glycol?

Let’s take a look at PEG and its well-documented side effects. We also review some suspected side effects for which studies are just emerging.

What Is polyethylene glycol?

Polyethylene glycol is a compound derived from the by-products resulting from the refinement of petroleum, natural gas, or coal. Polyethylene glycol is not a single chemical entity. It is a category of compounds in which polyethylene and glycol have been bonded together.

Different forms of polyethylene glycol are typically noted by a number after the abbreviation “PEG,” such as PEG-100, PEG-3350, and so on. This number represents the molecular weight of that specific compound.