The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a stern warning to the public regarding the dangers of using unauthorized skin lightening products that contain high levels of mercury. The agency specifically highlighted the product ‘Lady Gold Super Gluta Brightening’ among others, which have been found to be laced with the toxic metal and are being sold without proper certification.
In Manila, the FDA’s alert comes after the EcoWaste Coalition, a toxics watchdog, praised the agency for its prompt response to reports of cosmetics containing mercury levels well above the permissible trace limit. Mercury, which is banned in cosmetic products under the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, poses significant health risks.
The FDA identified five imported skin lightening products available online that lack the necessary certificates of product notification. These include Q-nic Care Whitening Night Cream and Q-nic Care Whitening Underarm Cream, with mercury concentrations of 4,113 ppm and 6,109 ppm respectively, far surpassing the 1 ppm limit. Additionally, Meyyong Ra Seaweed Super Whitening Set and Lady Gold Super Gluta Brightening were found to contain 3,784 ppm and a staggering 44,450 ppm of mercury, leading to their prohibition based on prior reports.
Another product, Malaysia Erna Whitening Cream, tested negative for mercury but is still unauthorized for sale. The FDA has encouraged consumers to check product registrations and report any unauthorized products they encounter. Retailers have also been cautioned against selling these banned items.