MANILA, (PNA) — A number of skin whitening creams sold in Chinese drug stores in Metro Manila contained high levels of lead, an environmental group said Tuesday.
Product tests done by the EcoWaste Coalition showed that 12 skin whitening creams contained mercury up to 45,100 parts per million, way above the 1 ppm regulatory limit for mercury under the ASEAN Cosmetics Directive.
These creams were bought for P50 to P180 per item in drugstores in Divisoria, Quiapo, Sta. Cruz, Manila, Cubao and Quezon City.
The brands testing positive for mercury include Yudantang Sheep Essence and Ginseng and Green Cucumber 10 Days Specific Eliminating Freckle Spot and Double Whitening Sun Block Cream; Beauty Girl Egg White and Tomato 6 Days Specific Eliminating Freckle Whitening Cream; Erna Whitening Cream; Bai Li Tou Hong and Youngrace Age Defying Essence.
Other products include S’Zitang; Jiaoli 7 Days Specific Eliminating Freckle AB Set; Beauty Gemli Freckles Cream; Jiaoli 10 Days Eliminating Frecke Day and Night Set; S’Zitang 7 Days Specific Whitening and Spot AB Set; Jiaoli Huichunsu Specific Eliminating Freckle Cream and Sanli Eliminating FreckleCream.
Erna, Gemli , Sanli and Jiaoli Huichunsu Specific Eliminating Freckle Cream were among the 11 mercury-loaded skin whitening creams reported by the group to the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) last month for banning.
Meanwhile, Jiaoli 7 Days, Jiaoli 10 Days, S’zitang and Youngrace were banned in 2010, Beauty Girl in 2011, Bai Li Tou Hong in 2012 and Yudantang in 2013.
None of these imported products are listed in the FDA’s list of notified cosmetics and may be deemed illegal imports.
Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition said in a statement that istead of the promised lighter and flawless skin, these products may in fact discolor and scar the skin, cause rashes and weaken dermal resistance to bacterial and fungal infections.
“Not only does it damage the skin, mercury harms the kidneys and the nervous system as well, obstructing healthy brain development in fetuses and children,” Lucero said.
“The mercury ingredient in such products is a spooky secret that consumers, especially women, should be wary about when buying skin whitening cosmetics. You don’t want to pay to get poisoned,” she added.
Symptoms of inorganic mercury poisoning, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, include skin rashes and dermatitis, mood swings, memory loss, mental disturbances, and muscle weakness.
Consumers were then reminded to scrutinize the product labels, reject products with incomplete and incomprehensible information to avoid mercury exposure from such cosmetics, the group said.
They were also advised to seek registered mercury-free products and ask for official receipts, which could come handy if a complaint needed to be filed.