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By Doris Obinna
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has said that the dangers inherent in the continuous usage of bleaching creams, hair dyes and other illegal cosmetics, make users vulnerable to cancer, organs damage, infections, among other.
Sending warning signals to all, NAFDAC disclosed that a CNN data ranked Nigeria as the top consumer of the creams, with 75 per cent of women in Nigeria patronising whitening products.
The agency, on a one-day media sensitisation workshop theme, “Dangers of Bleaching Creams and Regulatory Controls,” revealed that Nigeria’s contribution to the global skin lightening market is expected to be worth $31.2 billion US dollars by 2024, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) report.
Speaking on the topic, “Safe handling of chemicals and ingredients in the Cosmetics and Food Industry, Director Chemical Evaluation and Research, NAFDAC, Dr Patrick Leonard Omopariola defined cosmetics are mixtures of chemical compounds or ingredients, applied on hair and skin to improve its appearance and/or scent.
According to him, Nigerians should be concerned about the public health of bleaching creams. “There have been a number of reports raising concerns over the safety of cosmetic ingredients and the damages they cause on health.
The effects of cosmetics on public health depends on several indicators: kind and amount of chemical Ingredients used in the formulation, time and frequency of cosmetics usage, personal skin condition, environmental situation
“A large amount of cosmetics and potentially harmful ingredients are used in hairdressing, skin care and nails services. These harmful chemical ingredients are regularly inhaled by beauty professionals as well as cosmetics users.”
Omopariola however reiterated that it is very important to know what ingredients are toxic and how to identify them.
Throwing more light on cosmetics ingredient that should be avoided i.e toxic chemicals in cosmetic products; he said many chemicals such as methyl methacrylate used in nail products should be of health concerns to users.
According to him, it have been known to cause cancer, developmental toxicity, reproductive toxicity, oorgan system toxicity, cellular damage, neurological damage, irritation, corrosive, and skin sensitising properties.
He however stressed that a number of regulatory authorities have banned the professional use of methyl methacrylate in nail salons. “Still, they continue to be ingredients.”
“Ethanolamine: Examples of related chemicals and their abbreviation are: monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA) and methyldiethanolamine (MDEA). While ethanolamine is found in soaps, detergents, shampoos, hair conditioners, shaving creams, paraffin wax, eye liner, mascara, eye shadows, blushes, make-up bases, fragrances etc, the public health effect of ethanolamine products are cancer, bioaccumulation, organ system toxicity and formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines.
“When buying any cosmetics products, ethanolamine can be identify in with their abbreviation such as; cetyl phosphate (DEA), olet-3 phosphate (DEA), leuramide (DEA), linolamide (MEA), Lauryl sulphate (TEA) etc.
“Also, a number of regulatory authorities have prohibited the professional use of ethanolamine in hair products because of concerns in the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines by DEA.
“Hydroquinon is found in skin bleaching creams, skin lighteners, skin and facial cleansers facial moisturizers, hair conditioners, and nail glue. Restricted in use, must not be above 2 per cent.
“Things you can also look out for on the label includes: hydroquinone, tocopherol, tocopherol acetate, ocopherol linoleate and other ingredients with the root ‘toco.’ However, cancer, organ system toxicity, allergies and immunotoxicity are some of the public health concern.”
On her part, Deputy Director, DR&RA, NAFDAC, Mrs Linda Halim, identified some evidence-based cancer causing ingredients in cosmetics such as “N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA) formed by the interaction of two otherwise safe ingredients; 2 bromo, 2-nitropropane, 1,3 diol (BNPD) a preservative and 1, 4 dioxane.
She however disclosed that Nigeria has the largest cosmetic in the country. According to her, the value of Nigeria’s cosmetics retail sales grew by 14.5 per cent in 2021. “The sector recorded ₦ 1,034 trillion in 2021 with the beauty and personal care industry accounting for ₦470b which represents 45.5 per cent. Skin care accounted for ₦ 128b while haircare, deodorants, shower gel products accounted for ₦70- ₦ 100m.”
In her remark, a director of the agency, Dr Monica Eimunjeze, decried the abuse of prescription medicines as cosmetics in the country.
She said the overall impact on citizens’ health is part of the agency’s plan to clampdown on all dealers of unregistered and illegal cosmetics in the nation.
According to her, bleaching, skin whitening or lightening is a global issue. “It is therefore important that the agency sensitise citizens on the dangers of abuse or wrong use of cosmetic products on their health.
“There are those that do not come for registration and exist in different spheres within the community. We also have products that are misuse and abuse in the name of bleaching, whitening or lightning; for instance, the topical syrups. They have a clear place in medicines, thus they shouldn’t be offer for sale in cosmetics stores.
“We are out to create awareness on the possibility and dangers of these products, to limit your choices to areas that have been subjected to regulation and control.”
