This illegal skin care product has serious side effects.
There’s a murky world of black market beauty products sold in local stores but not legal in the United States. This is contraband packaged in a pretty jar or eyeliner container that may contain dangerous levels of toxic ingredients, such as lead in some eyeliners or mercury in some skin whitening creams. Rumors about the latter began circulating on TikTok after a Minnesota woman lost her peripheral vision, which experts say may have been due to mercury in a whitening cream at her home; high levels were found in her and her children’s urine content of mercury.
The dangers of skin lightening products are twofold: “First, the idea that a ‘whiter’ or lighter skin tone is more beautiful is harmful and can have a negative impact on society and individual self-esteem,” says Dr. Shereene Idriss is a board-certified dermatologist in New York. “Secondly, the creams themselves are dangerous. [Many] skin whitening products are made by uncertified manufacturers [around the world] who use toxic ingredients like mercury in their products.”
The terms “skin lightening” and “skin lightening” are often used interchangeably when referring to skin lightening products that are not approved for sale over-the-counter in the United States—and they are very different from traditional skin lightening products. Contains brightening ingredients like Vitamin C that we see on the mainstream market. “The FDA does not allow the use of mercury in drugs or cosmetics except in very specific circumstances when no other safe and effective preservatives are available — these products do not meet those conditions,” the FDA warned in a statement. “These products often do not meet these conditions.” Advertised as a skin whitening and anti-aging treatment to eliminate age spots, freckles, blemishes, and wrinkles. Teens may use these products to treat acne. These products are often manufactured abroad and sold illegally in the United States, often in markets targeting Latin America, Asia, Africa or sold in stores in Middle Eastern communities. They are promoted online on social media sites and sold through mobile apps. Consumers may also purchase them in another country and bring them back to the United States for personal use.” Contains parabens Over-the-counter whitening products containing hydroquinone are also illegal: “There are no over-the-counter whitening products [containing hydroquinone] that are FDA-approved or otherwise legally sold,” the FDA warned people not to use them in an April 2022 statement Harmful bleaching products. In a separate statement, the FDA explained that even some products marketed under the seemingly innocuous term “skin lightening” but illegally sold in the U.S. may contain mercury: “Avoid products with hand-labeled, non-English labels, Or have no label at all. Such products violate FDA regulations and can be harmful.
Why do skin whitening creams contain mercury?
Sometimes, products are accidentally contaminated with dangerous ingredients during the manufacturing process, and then well-known brands issue voluntary recalls. (Recent news reports include high-profile recalls of aerosol products accidentally contaminated with benzene, a known carcinogen.) However, skin lightening creams contain mercury, much of which is manufactured abroad and illegally imported into the United States. Totally intentional. Inorganic mercury is used specifically in these products because mercury effectively inhibits the production of melanin, explains Dr. Ranella Hirsch, a board-certified dermatologist in Boston.
When applied to the skin, inorganic mercury poses significant risks, which according to the World Health Organization include kidney damage, rashes, skin discoloration, scarring, reduced skin resistance to bacterial and fungal infections, anxiety, depression, psychosis, and peripheral neuropathy (weakness, numbness, and pain in the hands and feet).
Vision problems and lung damage are also potential risks, the FDA said. A 2014 study published in the journal Medical Science Monitor examined how mercury exposure can lead to vision loss, as well as loss of peripheral vision. The study found that long-term exposure to mercury “can have toxic effects on neuronal fibers in the retina [and] the optic nerve [which transmit visual information from the eye to the brain].” “Long-term use of skin lightening creams that contain mercury is especially dangerous,” says Dr. Idris. The more mercury builds up in our bodies, the harder it is to get rid of it.
What steps are being taken to regulate mercury in skin lightening creams?
The use of mercury in cosmetics is banned in many parts of the world, including Europe and Africa, while it is restricted in the United States. The World Health Organization lists mercury as one of the ten chemicals of greatest public health concern. Also arsenic, asbestos and benzene.
Even many countries are working hard to curb the use of mercury: in 2013, the Minamata Convention formulated by the United Nations Environment Program clearly stipulated that the international limit of mercury in cosmetics should not exceed one part per million (ppm). As you might have guessed, it’s not just skin-lightening creams that can be contaminated with mercury; the conference notes that mercury can be found in other cosmetics, such as eye makeup, eye makeup removers, and topical antiseptics.
The FDA also adheres to this restriction: “Mercury compounds are only allowed in cosmetics as preservatives in eye products.” They can only be used in very small amounts – the amount of mercury in the finished product must not exceed 65 parts per million (ppm) – only When no other effective and safe preservative is available. Mercury is not allowed in other cosmetics unless trace levels are below 1 ppm and only if the presence of mercury is unavoidable as part of good manufacturing practice. “
The Minamata Convention, adopted by more than 140 countries, entered into force in August 2017, but participating countries are required to stop manufacturing, importing and exporting listed mercury-containing products, including cosmetics, by 2020.
By that logic, skin care products containing more than 1 ppm of mercury should now be phased out—at least in these 140 countries. But as far as we know, that’s not the case.
Why are there still skin whitening products containing mercury?
Although mercury-containing skin lightening creams are largely banned, you can still buy them online and in some markets around the world, according to the World Health Organization. For example, one study found that a skin-lightening product produced in Jamaica, sold locally, and exported had mercury concentrations 13,546 times higher than the FDA limit.
In March, a new study from the Zero Mercury Working Group, a coalition of non-governmental organizations from more than 55 countries working to reduce mercury pollution, found that skin-lightening products are still widely used around the world. The study tested 271 skin-whitening products sold on some of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms and found that 129 of them contained more than 1 ppm of mercury. Research shows that some e-commerce platforms do not appear to verify the legitimacy of the products they sell.
This puts the responsibility on the consumer. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to avoid products that contain “mercury” in their ingredients list. Many manufacturers use synonyms for mercury in their ingredient lists, such as “Hg,” “mercuric iodide,” “mercuric chloride,” “aminated mercury,” “mercuramide chloride,” “mercury,” “cinnabar.” (mercury sulfide). “Hydrargyri oxydum rubrum,” “mercuric iodide,” and “poison”—yes, that’s the word. Of course, never use a product with “poison” in the ingredient list.
But some products don’t even include an ingredient list—and that’s a big red flag. This is especially true for skin lighteners from uncertified manufacturers, which according to Dr. Idris and Dr. Deer are often sold in local stores, flea markets, neighborhood markets, and third-party sellers like Amazon.
How can we protect ourselves from mercury poisoning?
“You should avoid any mercury exposure in beauty products,” advises Dr. Idris. “You should only buy products from reputable brands and retailers. If you are a smart consumer, you can avoid falling victim to one of these manufacturers.”
PhD. Hirsch agrees, stressing the importance of purchasing reputable products from brands you trust. Finally, any brand that follows the guidelines and regulations of the FDA and other government agencies should not have unsafe levels of mercury in their products.