Mercury found in cosmetics sold in minority communities

March 7th, 2012 | By

More and more reports are surfacing urging ladies to stay away from beauty products containing the toxic ingredient-mercury.

High traces of Mercury continue to be discovered in skin-care products, soaps and cosmetics found in stores that cater to the minority communities.

The FDA attempts to regulate the products sold on the shelves of the big retailers, yet the foreign manufactured products sold abroad still manage to make their way to minority community markets, liquor stores and beauty supplys.

Which leads one to assume that either the FDA does not care about the toxins sold on minority shelves and/or the demand for the product far outweighs the punishment for importing and selling to a public, who is uninterested about the negative side effects the products may induce.

In a recent study conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health, the skin creams from brands Diana, Stillman, Lusco and Crema Aguamary exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s limit of no more than one part per million (ppm) of mercury in cosmetic products.

The products claim to lighten skin, cure acne and reduce wrinkles.

According to doctors, exposure to mercury can cause real bodily harm, including kidney damage, damage to the nervous system and interference of the development of the brain in unborn children.

The FDA does not allow mercury in drugs or cosmetics, except under specific conditions, which these products do not meet.

Check the label for “mercurous chloride,” “calomel,” “mercuric,” “mercurio” or “mercury.”

The FDA is urging consumers to discard any products found to contain any of the aforementioned ingredients immediately in a plastic bag or leak-proof container.

Since these items are brought in from outside the country, many have labels in other languages or have none at all.

Your best bet is to toss any products without labels or those that list ingredients in a language you can not read.

Sellers are also being encouraged to examine their stock, because toxic goods can be seized and the business owners may be subject to legal sanctions by the FDA.

To be safe consumers should opt for natural alternatives that are becoming more and more reasonably priced and can be found at Health Food Retailers and Vitamin shops.

Although natural products may cost a couple bucks more its well worth it for the higher quality and piece of mind.

Read more on the study conducted on these products listed above here