THURSDAY, Sept. 1, 2022 (HealthDay Information) — Skin lightening products could be harmful for customers after they comprise dangerous components which can be unlawful for over-the-counter gross sales, the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration warned Wednesday.
The possibly dangerous components are hydroquinone or mercury, the company mentioned in a information launch.
Individuals who have used merchandise with hydroquinone have suffered unintended effects that included rashes, facial swelling, and everlasting pores and skin discoloration, the FDA warned. In the meantime, mercury is very poisonous and may injury the nervous, digestive and immune programs, in addition to the lungs, kidneys, pores and skin and eyes.
Pores and skin lightening merchandise are marketed as therapies for uneven pores and skin tone, acne, age spots, freckles and wrinkles. Firms could describe pores and skin lightening merchandise as skin bleaching, fading, night, brightening or whitening merchandise. The merchandise are sometimes offered as lotions, lotions, soaps or powders in outlets that cater to Hispanic/Latino, Asian, African or Center Jap communities, the FDA mentioned.
These merchandise restrict the pores and skin’s manufacturing of melanin, chargeable for pores and skin, hair and eye colour. However hydroquinone and mercury can construct up within the physique over time.
“Pores and skin lightening merchandise containing hydroquinone aren’t accepted for over-the-counter sale,” the FDA mentioned. “Nevertheless, you may get a prescription pores and skin product containing hydroquinone out of your well being care supplier. The usage of mercury in pores and skin lightening merchandise is banned.”
Shoppers ought to examine product labels and keep away from these containing hydroquinone or mercury. Mercury could also be listed as mercurous chloride, calomel, mercuric, mercurio or Hg. Unlawful merchandise could also be inaccurately labeled. Keep away from merchandise with handmade labels, labels in languages apart from English, or no label in any respect, the FDA mentioned.
Report any unhealthy response from a pores and skin product to your well being care supplier and to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm or by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.
Extra data
The World Well being Group has extra on mercury in pores and skin merchandise.
SOURCE: U.S. Meals and Drug Administration, information launch, Aug. 30, 2022
