FDA Warns of Dangers From Skin Lightening Creams

THURSDAY, Sept. 1, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Skin lightening merchandise might be harmful for shoppers once they include dangerous elements which might be unlawful for over-the-counter gross sales, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Wednesday.

The doubtlessly dangerous elements are hydroquinone or mercury, the company stated in a information launch.

People who’ve used merchandise with hydroquinone have suffered unwanted effects that included rashes, facial swelling, and everlasting pores and skin discoloration, the FDA warned. Meanwhile, mercury is extremely poisonous and might injury the nervous, digestive and immune programs, in addition to the lungs, kidneys, pores and skin and eyes.

Skin lightening merchandise are marketed as therapies for uneven pores and skin tone, zits, age spots, freckles and wrinkles. Companies could describe pores and skin lightening merchandise as pores and skin bleaching, fading, night, brightening or whitening merchandise. The merchandise are sometimes bought as lotions, lotions, soaps or powders in retailers that cater to Hispanic/Latino, Asian, African or Middle Eastern communities, the FDA stated.

These merchandise restrict the pores and skin’s manufacturing of melanin, chargeable for pores and skin, hair and eye coloration. But hydroquinone and mercury can construct up within the physique over time.

“Skin lightening merchandise containing hydroquinone should not permitted for over-the-counter sale,” the FDA stated. “However, you may get a prescription pores and skin product containing hydroquinone out of your well being care supplier. The use of mercury in pores and skin lightening merchandise is banned.”

Consumers ought to test product labels and keep away from these containing hydroquinone or mercury. Mercury could also be listed as mercurous chloride, calomel, mercuric, mercurio or Hg. Illegal merchandise could also be inaccurately labeled. Avoid merchandise with handmade labels, labels in languages apart from English, or no label in any respect, the FDA stated.

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.

More info

The World Health Organization has extra on mercury in pores and skin merchandise.

SOURCE: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, information launch, Aug. 30, 2022