Large number of skin cosmetic products contaminated with mercury

(NaturalNews) Infamous for poisoning the kidneys and brain, mercury is a potent, silent destroyer of healthy cellular function. Mercury compounds can be readily absorbed through intact skin - inducing toxic, dermal effects. s a melanotoxin, mercury compounds are capable of decimating melanosomes, which are tiny !balloons! in the skin that consist of melanin.

Unprecedented levels of mercury found in anti-aging creams from around the world
"here#s a dangerous practice going around regarding the manufacture of skin-lightening, !beauty care! cosmetics. Many skin-lightening products, anti-aging lotions, and acne creams contain unprecedented le$els of mercury. "his mercury is rubbed directly into the skin, where it is readily absorbed into the body. Mercury le$els are reportedly so high in some skin products around the world that the %& has issued a public statement warning consumers not to use skin creams, beauty products and lotions that might contain mercury.

New report shows products exceeding mercury standards 10,000 to 1

In a new report from the 'oma 'inda (ni$ersity )chool of Medicine, hundreds of skin-lightening products from around the world were found to contain extraordinary le$els of mercury that exceed %& standards *+,+++ to one, "he %& limits companies to * ppm mercury in cosmetic products. )ome of the products being tested at the 'oma 'inda (ni$ersity reach *+,+++ ppm of mercury,

"he products are typically marketed as anti-aging treatments, capable of remo$ing freckles, wrinkles and blemishes. "hese same formulas are often used as acne treatments. "he toxic metal mercury abounds in these skin creams, labeled alternati$ely as mercurous chloride, calomel, mercuric or mercurio. !-$en though these products are promoted as cosmetics, they also may be unappro$ed new drugs under the law,! says 'inda .at/, M.&., director of %& #s 0ffice of 1osmetics and 1olors. 1harles 'ee, M.&., a senior medical ad$isor at the %& , states, !-xposure to mercury can ha$e serious health conse2uences. It can damage the kidneys and the ner$ous system, and interfere with the de$elopment of the brain in unborn children and $ery young children.! %urthermore, mercury from these skin creams can be breathed in or accidentally swallowed. Infants can recei$e a toxic dose if they touch parents who use these creams. little one is prone to come into contact with the cream and put their affected hands and fingers into their mouth, and thus begin ingesting high traces of mercury.

alifornia University tests !"# skin creams from around the world
Many of these mercury-containing beauty products are imported into the () and are sold online. In the study from 'oma 'inda (ni$ersity, 345 skinlightening products were purchased from 67 different countries. "his included online sales from countries like "aiwan, 8apan, 1hina, "hailand, )ri 'anka and the (). (sing a portable 9-ray fluorescence spectrometer, the researchers screened the products for mercury exceeding 7++ ppm. 0f the products purchased in the (nited )tates, *: products were found to contain mercury le$els exceeding *,+++ ppm - a truly toxic dose. 0$erall, ; percent of the 345 products tested from around the world contained mercury in excess of *,+++ ppm. Nearly half of those products contained o$er *+,+++ ppm mercury,

Reports of mercury toxicity from skin creams

65-year old woman from Northern 1alifornia sought medical attention when mercury toxicity symptoms began setting in. %ound to ha$e more than *++ times the a$erage amount of mercury in her urine, the woman showed symptoms of mercury poisoning, including weakness, insomnia, pain in the extremities and se$ere headache. ccording to the 1alifornia &epartment of <ublic =ealth, the woman and her husband had used an unlabeled mercurycontaining face cream for three years. >rought in by a relati$e from Mexico, the cream was found loaded with mercury. "he husband and their four-yearold child also had high le$els of mercury in their urine. "he problem, mercury, was isolated. In another case, a teen had come down with mercury poisoning symptoms. In ?ust months, the fatigue penetrated him. "he "exas &epartment of =ealth couldn#t find the source of contamination in the teen#s en$ironment, including paint, soil and indoor air tests. "he family continued to look for solutions and finally reali/ed the answer. "he teen regularly used an acne cream called !1rema de >elle/a-Manning.! fter laboratory testing confirmed that the product contained ; percent to *+ percent mercury weight (labeled as mercurous chloride), the teen stopped use and saw impro$ements.

Mercury Poisoning Linked to Skin Products

%ederal health officials are warning consumers not to use skin creams,

beauty and antiseptic soaps, or lotions that might contain mercury. "he products are marketed as skin lighteners and anti-aging treatments that remo$e age spots, freckles, blemishes and wrinkles, says @ary 1oody, national health fraud coordinator in the %ood and &rug dministrationAs 0ffice of Begulatory ffairs. dolescents also may use these products as acne treatments, adds 1oody. <roducts with this toxic metal ha$e been found in at least se$en states. "he products are manufactured abroad and sold illegally in the (nited )tates

Coften in shops in 'atino, sian, frican or Middle -astern neighborhoods and online. 1onsumers may also ha$e bought them in another country and brought them back to the (.). for personal use. DIf you ha$e a product that matches these descriptions (and others listed below), stop using it immediately,E says 1oody. D-$en though these products are promoted as cosmetics, they also may be unappro$ed new drugs under the law,E says 'inda .at/, M.&., director of %& As 0ffice of 1osmetics and 1olors. %& does not allow mercury in drugs or in cosmetics, except under $ery specific conditions, which these products do not meet. D)ellers and distributors should not market these illegal products and may be sub?ect to enforcement action, which could include sei/ure of the products and other legal sanctions,E says attorney >rad <ace, 8.&., of the =eath %raud and 1onsumer 0utreach >ranch within %& As 1enter for &rug -$aluation and Besearch.

Dangers of Mercury
D-xposure to mercury can ha$e serious health conse2uences,E says 1harles 'ee, M.&., a senior medical ad$isor at %& . DIt can damage the kidneys and the ner$ous system, and interfere with the de$elopment of the brain in unborn children and $ery young children.E Fou donAt ha$e to use the product yourself to be affected, says %& toxicologist Mike >olger, <h.&. D<eopleC particularly childrenCcan get mercury in their bodies from breathing in mercury vapors if a member of the household uses a skin cream containing mercury.E Infants and small children can ingest mercury if they touch their parents who ha$e used these products, get cream on their hands and then put their hands and fingers into their mouth, which they are prone to do, adds >olger. In Northern 1alifornia, a 65-year old woman had more than *++ times the a$erage amount of mercury in her urine and had symptoms of mercury poisoning, according to the 1alifornia &epartment of <ublic =ealth. %or three years, the woman and her husband had been using an unlabeled mercury-containing face cream that was brought into the (.). from Mexico by a relati$e. )e$eral other family members who did not use the cream, including a four-year-old child, also had ele$ated le$els of mercury in their bodies. Signs and Symptoms of Mercury Poisoning G irritability G shyness

G tremors G changes in $ision or hearing G memory problems G depression G numbness and tingling in hands, feet or around mouth )ourceH gency for "oxic )ubstances and &isease Begistry (www.atsdr.cdc. gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=112&tid=24) 12 Skin Care Products that Can ive !ou Mercury Poisoning

http$%%shine&yahoo&com%shine-beauty%1'-skin-care-products-mercury-poisoning1(')00!""&html

Mercury occurs naturally in the en$ironment and is also released into the en$ironment through human acti$ity. Mercury occurs in se$eral forms.

-lemental mercury is a sil$ery, odorless li2uid that e$aporates slowly at room temperature, becoming a $apor. Inorganic mercury is mercury combined with other chemical elements such as chlorine, sulfur or oxygen. 0rganic mercury is mercury combined with carbon-containing compounds. common form of organic mercury is methylmercury which is produced by microorganisms in water and soil, and which accumulates in fish.

*hat medical testing is used to detect mercury exposure+

"he most commonly accepted methods of assessing mercury exposure are to test urine or blood. >oth tests usually measure le$els of total mercury (elemental, inorganic and organic).

-le$ated mercury in urine usually indicates exposure to an elemental or inorganic source of mercury, such as from a ?ob that uses mercury. -le$ated mercury in blood usually indicates exposure to organic mercury (such as from eating fish containing methylmercury) or recent exposure to a high le$el of elemental mercury $apor. %or most people, an ele$ated blood mercury le$el is associated with eating fish and other seafood containing organic mercury.

-$eryone has a small amount of mercury in hisIher body. )ome people may ha$e higher than usual le$els from eating fish and seafood, working with mercury-containing materials, or from other exposure sources.

*hy are test results sent to the New ,ork -tate .eavy /etals 0egistry+
=ealthcare pro$iders and laboratories are re2uired by the New Fork )tate )anitary 1ode to report the results of blood or urine mercury tests to the NF) &epartment of =ealth when mercury is at or abo$e the following le$elsH

blood - 3 ngIm' (nanograms per milliliter) urine - 7+ ngIm'

Mercury le$els at or abo$e these $alues do not mean that you will de$elop ad$erse health effects. "he reporting system is designed to identify workers who might be exposed to mercury so measures to reduce exposures can be taken before health effects are expected.

.ow can 1 be exposed to mercury+

-xposure to elemental mercury most often occurs from breathing air containing elemental mercury $apor. "his occurs in some occupations and may also occur when de$ices containing mercury, such as thermostats or thermometers, break and release mercury droplets and mercury $apor into the air. )mall amounts or mercury $apor are also released from dental amalgams (fillings) that contain elemental mercury. -xposures to inorganic or organic mercury may come from skin contact with mercury or substances containing mercury (e.g., skin lightening creams), or from use of medicines or $accines containing mercury. -xposure to methylmercury (a form of organic mercury) most often comes from eating fish that contains methylmercury. (sually, greater amounts of methylmercury are found in larger predatory freshwater fish like black bass, walleye and pike, and certain marine fish such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish.

*hat health effects can methylmercury cause+

Jhether health effects occur from mercury exposure depends on the amount and form of mercury a person takes in, the route and duration of exposure, and the person#s indi$idual characteristics such as age, pregnancy status and general health. 'ong-term exposure to high le$els of methylmercury causes effects

primarily on the ner$ous system. )ymptoms of long-term high le$el methylmercury exposure include disturbances in $ision, hearing and speech, as well as tingling and numbness in fingers and toes, lack of coordination and muscle weakness. -xposure to methylmercury is of particular concern for children and unborn babies because their ner$ous systems are still de$eloping and may be more $ulnerable. Methylmercury consumed by the mother can enter her fetus and can also be passed on in breast milk to nursing infants. In some scientific studies of populations that consume relati$ely large amounts of seafood, $ery subtle ner$ous system effects such as altered memory, attention and language de$elopment in children ha$e been associated with increases in exposure to methylmercury in the womb andIor soon after birth. )cientists do not know precisely what le$el of mercury in blood may be associated with harmful effects. )ome studies suggest that children of mothers with blood mercury le$els as low as 6+ to 4+ ngIml may exhibit delayed de$elopment and subtle ner$ous system effects during early childhood. )ome reports suggest that similar blood mercury le$els may be associated with $isual, ner$ous, or cardio$ascular system effects in adults. >lood mercury le$els abo$e *++ ngIm' ha$e been reported to be associated with clear signs of mercury poisoning in some indi$iduals (e.g., poor muscle coordination, tingling and numbness in fingers and toes).

Sources for his artic"e inc"ude# httpHIIwww.sciencedirect.com httpHIIwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.go$ httpHIIwww.fda.go$

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