Bhakti Paun Sharma
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Written By: Bhakti Paun Sharma | Published : September 8, 2015 11:16 AM IST
After Maggi, the FDA pulls off fairness cream from the market. Himachal Pradesh based beauty products manufacturer Torque Pharma has been issued a notice to pull off two of its beauty creams from the market for being steroid laden. Mumbai Mirror reported that the FDA might impose similar measures on other pharma companies too, dealing with fairness creams. This action was a response to the letter to the FDA by the Indian Association of Dermatologists Venereologists and Leprologists, a national skin specialists body asking them to keep a watch on steroid based skin creams which result in rashes, skin thinning and even excess facial hair growth.
Read: Shekhar Kapur tells you why fairness cream ads are wrong.
While celebrities endorse fairness creams and products for several brands, Kangana Ranaut had refused to endorse fairness creams a couple of years back. According to noted plastic surgeon Dr. Debraj Shome, skin lightening creams and fairness products contain hydroquinone which is a banned product in Japan, Australia and European Unions without prescription. However, in India such steroid laden creams are sold as OTC products, which is the concern raised by FDA. Here s how fairness creams work and why you should be wary of them.
How effective are fairness creams?
An analysis on three popular Indian fairness creams indicated that of all the ingredients present in the cream, only 5-10% is effective in promoting fairness. The other ingredients are merely present to moisturise and soften skin or help against sun damage. These ingredients make the skin look fresh and thus deceive you of skin lightening.
Read: Expert solutions to 10 common beauty problems.
Due to exposure to UV rays, Indian skin suffers more pigmentation and ingredients like Hydroquinone, Alpha-Arbutin, Vitamin A derivatives and Alpha-Hydroxy Acids help in reducing this damage and the scars. However, if the fairness creams contain more than 2-4% of these chemicals, these may lead to side effects like redness, rashes, irritation and also increase the risk of ochronosis or skin darkening if used regularly according to dermatologist and founder of Cosmedic Skin Solutions, Dr. Kiran Lohia.
Safer ingredients for the skin
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