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NEW YORK, NY — The Health Department is warning New York City residents about 10 skin-lightening creams from Pakistan and two medicated soaps from Spain that contain up to 14,000 times the allowable limit for mercury in cosmetics.
Exposure to mercury can cause serious and life-threatening health problems, including damage to the nervous system and kidneys, and can harm the fetus if used by a pregnant woman, increasing the risk of a miscarriage.
The Health Department has sent an alert to health care providers in New York City to advise patients against using such products and has asked New Yorkers immediately stop using all skin-lightening creams and medicated soaps that list mercury as an ingredient.
However, mercury is not always a listed ingredient and patients should ask their doctor if they are using non-prescription products to lighten their skin or for skin disorders.
The New York City Health Code prohibits the sale of such toxic personal products. The Health Department is working with businesses to remove several products from their shelves. They include:
Due Beauty Cream made by Kreative Cosmetics (Pvt) Ltd, Sandal Whitening Beauty Cream (MMC Cosmetics, Pakistan), Chandni Whitening Cream (SJ Enterprises, Pakistan), Golden Pearl Beauty Cream (Golden Pearl Cosmetics), Face Fresh Beauty Cream (Shaheen Cosmetics, Pakistan), Faiza No. 1 Beauty Cream (A.M. Cosmetics (Pak), Pakistan) and Faiza Beauty Cream (Poonia Brothers (Pak), Pakistan).
The authorities have also advised against sale of other cosmetics like Seven Herbal Ubtan Cream (CPHL), Stillman’s Freckle Cream and Stillman’s Skin Bleach Cream (Pakistan, under license from the Stillman Company, Inc., USA), Niuma Medicated Antiseptic Soap (Niuma Belleza, Spain) and Niuma Lemon Medicated Germicidal Soap (Niuma Belleza, Spain).