At a glance skin whitening doesn’t seem to connect with health problemes, but it can be if you do not select your skin whitening product carefully.
Mercury effectively inhibit melanin thereby lightening the skin and eliminating age spots and freckles. It was widely used in skin care products old days. However it can be toxic as mercury penetrates through the skin and accumulates in tissues. Most of the Developed countries including Europe and USA banned mercury to be used in cosmetic products.
Skin whitening has become a regular practice among the dark skinned and mix racial populations as many thinks white is beautiful. In Sri Lanka skin whitening treatments are offered with normal beautifying treatments such as facial. Our skin color is genetically determined by the amount of the pigment melanin produced in the body. UV rays of the sun help melanin production making us dark but protecting from radiation. If someone wants to be fair beyond genetically determined they have to reduce the production of melanin and protect from sun light.
Different methods of skin lightening
Bleaching
Bleaching is the washing out the color of the melanin by topically applying bleaching agent. Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used. However intensive procedures may cause permanent skin damage and discoloration.
Inhibition of melanin production
Some compounds can reduce the melanin production by inhibiting one or few steps in the production cycle. Hydroquinone is such compound once very popular but now only approved for medical use due to potential health hazards.
Avoid sun
Since UV light of the sun help melanin production, use of sunscreen or physical barrier can minimize sun tanning.
Mercury
Mercury effectively inhibit melanin thereby lightening the skin and eliminating age spots and freckles. It was widely used in skin care products old days. However it can be toxic as mercury penetrates through the skin and accumulates in tissues. Most of the Developed countries including Europe and USA banned mercury to be used in cosmetic products.Long term use of mercury containing products has a potential to cause Kidney damages, Nervous system damage as well as Skin damage
The tragedy is many developing countries including Sri Lanka still use cosmetics products with banned ingredients. There is no consumer protection system to test the cosmetics imported to Sri Lanka for mercury and other toxic compounds.
Many cosmetics do not say where they are from. One example is St. Dalfour whitening cream sold at very high price in Sri Lanka. It does not mention ingredients as well as contact information. The funniest thing is St. Dalfour is originally a fruit production company in France http://www.stdalfour.com.au/ https://secure.stdalfour.us/AboutUs.cfm and they have mention nothing about a skin cream in their site although the containers and trademarks are similar.
Source http://photosaved.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/mercury-content-of-skin-lightening-creams-chicago-tribune.pdf
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| Fake Whitening cream in Sri Lanka |
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| Original products from France |
Reliable cosmetics products should display the ingredients, place of production and address.
Following details were published in May 25/ 2010, Chicago Tribune.
First 7 whitening products of the below list tested positive for dangerous mercury levels and I have seen 1 (shabright) and 6 (crème Diana) in Sri Lankan market.
First 7 whitening products of the below list tested positive for dangerous mercury levels and I have seen 1 (shabright) and 6 (crème Diana) in Sri Lankan market.
Product name Location manufactured Amount of mercury (ppm)
Shabright Clear and Bright Skin Formula India 1.8
Top-Gel MCA Extra Pearl Cream Taiwan 1.9
Lulanjina * China 14,100
Stillman's Skin Bleach Cream Pakistan 29,600
Ling Ji Su containers * China 6,090
Crème Diana C.T.R. Lebanon 6,900
Top-Gel MCA Extra Pearl Cream Taiwan 7,030
Ly-Na Pearl Face Cream** Taiwan Complied with safety standard
San Ing Face Cream ** Taiwan Complied with safety standard
Ballet Ginseng Pearl Cream China Not detected
Roldan 2% Domincan Republic Not detected
Black and White Bleaching Cream U.S.A. Not detected
Cora Super White Lebanon Not detected
Dermaline Skin Lightening Cream Dominican Republic Not detected
Dermaline Skin Whitening Cream Dominican Republic Not detected
Dr. Fred Summit Skin Whitener Harvey, IL Not detected
Emami Naturally Fair Pearls England Not detected
English Ubtan Tumeric Cream Pakistan Not detected
Fair & Lovely India Not detected
Fair & White Lightening Cream France Not detected
G&G Lightening Beauty Cream Ivory Coast Not detected
Ginseng Placenta Cream Unknown Not detected
Huile Eclaircissante Skin Light Abidjan, Ivory Coast Not detected
Lulanjina tube China Not detected
Maxi Light Ivory Coast Not detected
Pearl Cream China Not detected
Peau Claire Beauty Body Cream Ivory Coast Not detected
Sivoclair Lightening Cream Ivory Coast Not detected
Tura Active Plus South Africa Not detected
Tura Skin Tone Cream Dubai Not detected
U.B. U.V. Whitening Pearl Cream Thailand Not detected
Venus de Milo Nigeria Not detected
Vicco Turmeric Skin Cream India Not detected
Zarina England Not detected
Source http://photosaved.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/mercury-content-of-skin-lightening-creams-chicago-tribune.pdf
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