Consumers urged to check cosmetics

Chemical contents can be dangerous

BANGKOK: -- Nearly one-fourth of locally-made whitening products contain harmful chemicals and people using them to gain a lighter complexion should beware of allergies, permanent skin problems and bladder inflammation, experts say.

Deputy Public Health Minister Anuthin Charnveerakul said cosmetics users, especially women using whitening lotion for the face, should be careful since such products might contain substances which could accumulate in their bodies and become bad for their health.

''For safety, whenever buying cosmetics and skin products, especially whitening cream, consumers should check the labels for all the required information _ ingredients, the name and address of manufacturers, manufacturing date and net volume. Substandard products mostly have no labels or such information, especially the names and addresses of manufacturers,'' he added.

Substandard cosmetics for treating pimples and dark spots on the face, for making facial skin lighter and turning nipples pink would mostly contain ammoniated mercury and also hydroquinone and retinoic acid.

Ammoniated mercury can cause allergies, itching, facial skin problems and bladder inflammation, hydroquinone allergies, irritation and permanent dark spots on the face, and retinoic acid _ a dangerous chemical _ can cause serious allergic symptoms and facial skin inflammation. Under the ministry's cosmetics control policy, the Food and Drug Administration registered 70,581 cosmetics formulae, comprising 5,658 strictly controlled ones, 12,371 controlled ones, and 52,552 imported ones. It randomly tested samples of 50-100 formulae monthly and had found increasing use of dangerous substances in cosmetics.

Last year, the FDA tested 789 samples and found 180 were substandard. It detected forbidden substances in 38 of 140 tested samples and germs in 39 of 310 tested samples.

Over the past seven months, the FDA tested 778 samples and found 203 were substandard.

It detected forbidden substances in 64 of 168 tested samples and germs in 43 of 280 tested samples.

The problems were common in herbal cosmetics, especially unlawfully made and labelled local ones. The ministry was seeking an amendment to the cosmetics control law by requiring cosmetics manufacturers and importers to register all products with the FDA.

Next year, the ministry would start checking spa cosmetics more strictly to ensure safety and quality for consumers since spas were popular. Operators were buying cosmetics in bulk and putting them into smaller containers which could lead to germ contamination if the process was non-hygienic.

--Bangkok Post 2005-08-28

wow.. there's even "whitening" cream for nipples! I didn't know that.

Next there'll be whitening deoderant. Oh, wait.. I saw that yesterday.

Here's a recent article from the UK. There they presumably have responsible agencies looking out for your health, so I can only imagine what kinds of poisons get made and sold in Thailand.

On a "lighter" note, how long before this catches on in Thailand?