5 cosmetic products have been found to contain scheduled poison, says the Health Ministry’s National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the products are: Sweet 13 Skincare Treatment Cream, Ninaskincare Skin Puteh Moisturiser and Skin Dessert Cream, which contain mercury; Karisma Birdnest Gel, which contains hydroquinone and tretinoin; and Haemun Cream, which contains miconazole.
He also urged the public to avoid purchasing these products, which have had their notification status cancelled and are no longer allowed to be sold in Malaysia.
Hydroquinone can cause skin redness, discomfort, discolouration and hypersensitivity.
It can also inhibit the pigmentation process (depigmentation), which reduces the skin’s ability to be protected from harmful UV rays, increasing the risk of skin cancer.
“Mercury is prohibited in cosmetic products as it could be harmful to one’s health,” Dr Noor Hisham said in a statement on Sunday (Oct 23).
“It could be absorbed into the body and cause damage to the kidneys and nervous system, as well as disrupt brain development of young or unborn children, besides causing rashes, irritation and other changes to the skin.
“Uncontrolled usage of antifungals (miconazole) can increase the risk of resistance and thus reduce their effectiveness in treating future infections.”
Read more:
https://www.thestar.com.my/…/npra-bans-five-cosmetic…
(Images: Health Ministry’s Twitter announcement)