Cosmetic Products May Include Mercury

It is critical to read the labels of all skin creams, soaps, and lotions. If the label contains the terms “mercurous chloride,” “calomel,” “mercuric,” “Mercurio,” or “mercury,” discontinue use immediately. The organization advises consumers to avoid goods that do not identify their contents. 

Cosmetic Products May Include Mercury because Mercury is frequently included in anti-aging or skin-lightening cosmetics that promise to eliminate age spots, freckles, blemishes, and wrinkles. According to the FDA, some adolescents also use medications to cure acne.

Mercury-containing cosmetics are manufactured in other countries and illegally marketed in the United States, frequently at stores catering to Hispanic, Asian, African, and Middle Eastern groups. These items are also available online, and some people purchase them overseas and bring them home for personal use.

Mercury exposure can result in significant health consequences. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, and small children are, particularly at risk. Mercury may be harmful to a growing baby’s brain and neurological system, and nursing moms can transfer mercury to their babies.

“Your family may be exposed to mercury vapors emitted by these goods. Your children may come into contact with infected washcloths or towels. It might be as easy as caressing the cheek or face of another person “Dr. Arthur Simone, the FDA’s senior medical consultant, stated in a press release.

Before discarding Cosmetic Products May Include Mercury, the FDA advised that you seal it in a plastic bag or leak-proof container and consult your local environmental, health, or solid waste agency for disposal guidelines.