Skin bleaching products are supposed to be good for your skin. But according to a recent investigative report published in the Chicago Tribune newspaper, certain skin care products could cause a variety of problems for various organs, especially your kidneys.
The Tribune did an independent investigation of more than 4 dozen skin bleaching products and found that they contained what the newspaper called "toxic" levels of mercury. The results were published in mid-May, 2010 .
The products are designed to be used for lightening freckles and age spots.
Mercury is dangerous because it can cause big trouble for a variety of organs including the heart, lungs, and brain. Kidney problems , possibly leading to kidney failure , is among the biggest threats .
High mercury levels can enter the body after being spread on the skin. The level of danger varies according to BMI or Body Mass Index and a number of other factors. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers more than one gram of mercury per kilogram (2.2 pounds) to be excessive. Doses that exceed the maximum limit can put humans at risk for life-threatening conditions. Small doses can build up over the course of months or even years, creating long term problems .
Mercury can cause eye problems, blurred vision and trouble walking. It can compromise, and in extreme cases, be fatal. Mercury can be especially dangerous for the fetuses of pregnant women, infants and toddlers.
Mercury has not been legal for use in skin creams and lotions since 1990 when it was banned by the Food and Drug Administration. The Tribune's investigation revealed that products are easy to find nonetheless. The FDA told the Tribune that it has only about 500 inspectors who can check imported products, making it possible for some products to slip through the regulatory cracks .
50 skin lightening creams were sent to to an independent lab for testing. Six contained mercury levels that were highre than legal limits in the United States. Five had levels of 6,000 parts per million of mercury, which is sufficient to cause kidney damage .
The products came to the U.S. from Lebanon, China, India, Pakistan and Taiwan
One Chicago-area dermnatologist, Dr. Jonith Breadon, said he was "shocked and speechless" that products with such high mercury content in them are easy to get.
Retailers who had the creams and lotions on their shelves and promised to remove them. Two companies who were distributing the products say they will no longer do so.
Skin lightening creams and lotions have become big sellers in the United States in the past few years. Sales have been high among Asian, Hispanic and African-American ethnic groups. Sales are expected to pass 75 million annually by 2015.
Among the other lotions and creams tested by the Tribune, the highest amounts of mercury were found in a product called Stillman's Skin Bleach Cream. Other products identified by the Tribune were Top-Gel MCA Extra Pearl Cream, Creme Diana CTR, Ling Ji Su, Lulanjina, and Shabright Clear and Bright Skin Formula.
A number of popular skin care products tested by the Tribune contained no mercury at all.
Several doctors who were contacted by the Tribune said that anyone who wants a safe skin lightening product can get one by prescription. They also stressed that such creams be used only for lightening spots and freckles, not for bleaching naturally dark skin.
