Skin whitening creams could harm users-CEJ
Hemantha Withanage
Skin whitening creams could harm users-CEJ
January 23, 2013, 10:26 pmBy Dilanthi Jayamanne
The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) said yesterday they would write to the Cosmetic Devices and Drug Regulatory Authority (CDDA) concerning the threat posed by some of the skin whitening creams available in the market. Executive Director CEJ, Hemantha Withanage said that harmful levels of mercury were present in over 20 skin whitening creams of various brands registered with the CDDA.
Withanage said that some of them contain an exceedingly harmful amount – as much-as 30.167 ppm. The CEJ had also informed the Sri Lanka Standards Institute recently (SLSI). They have already banned products which include lead and arsenic. He said the SLSI had informed them that they would also consider crossing out cosmetics which include mercury.
A survey carried out by the CEJ revealed that skin whitening creams produced in Sri Lanka contain a minimal amount of mercury. The maximum amount of over 1.7ppm was detected in a product manufactured by a well-known local cosmetic manufacturer and beautician. However, a majority of whitening products which are imported from China and Thailand contain a dangerous level of the toxic metal. The substances and details of the product were mentioned in Chinese or Thai. The Sri Lankan customer purchases the product with only the knowledge that it would make them fairer and more attractive.
Skin whitening creams were more popular among people with dark complexions – men and women alike. Local as well as imported skin whiteners had a large market even in rural parts of the country, he said.
Highlighting the danger of mercury as an ingredient in whitening creams, Withanage said that mercury contamination in blood could cause allergic reactions, skin irritation or adverse effects to the nervous system. Over exposure to mercury could cause tremors, weakness, memory loss, dermatitis, impair kidney function, while long term exposure to skin whiteners could cause increase in pigmentation in joints of the fingers, toes, buttocks, and ears. The skin of the face can become thinned and the area around the eyes could have increased pigmentation leading to the ‘bleach panda effect’.
Mercury is used in whitening creams, soaps and ointments. He added that it had been decided, during the International Mercury Negotiations (IMN) last Sunday (20), held in Geneva, to ban mercury in soap, and cosmetics and phase out mercury from thermometers, blood pressure apparatus etc.
Meanwhile, Chief of the CDDA, Dr. Hemantha Benaragama, when contacted, said that he was yet to be informed of the survey findings by the CEJ. Any person applying for manufacturing or importing a cosmetic had to submit documents, which included test reports and samples to an expert committee. The committee comprised a Professor of pharmacology, a representative from the SLSI, Government Analyst’s Department, Ayurvedic Department and the CDDA. Approval was only given on their recommendations, he added.
