Is the battalion of eye-shadows and mascaras, moisturizers and lipsticks, conditioners, hair relaxers, deodorants, perfumes, and exotic serums on your cosmetics shelf a pretty little minefield of potential health risks?
It’s probably worth your time to check out the labels on your cosmetics against the list of ingredients the FDA has deemed off-limits, lest your quest for gorgeousness lead to an unsightly rash or itchy eyes, or worse.
Cosmetics makers need to meet FDA labelling and packaging standards – they must include a list of ingredients – but beyond that, it’s up to you to avoid products that might turn a vision of loveliness into ugliness. The FDA urges us to look at labels and to report any bad reactions to the agency.
Even then, the FDA has no authority to recall a product. It can pressure a company to remove the product from circulation – and most of the time a maker will comply – but the agency leaves it up to consumers to use her or his best judgment in the pursuit of beauty, a $ 60 billion industry in the U.S.
WebMD asked Linda Katz, MD, the director of the FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colours, to tell us how to protect ourselves from possible hazards in our cosmetics arsenals.
WebMD: What are some of the most common problems with cosmetics?
Katz: Most products are topical, so we see skin-related issues, like rashes. People may get eye irritation, and we’ve seen chemical burns from depilatory products (hair removal creams). Some people may be allergic to some components of a product and may not realize it. In general, different people may have different sensitivities to products.
QUESTION: Are there any potentially serious problems with cosmetics.
ANSWER: There probably are some. The reason I say probably is (that) adverse events are reported to the FDA voluntarily. Of the reports we receive in our database, about 30 percent would be considered serious, but even if they are reported as serious they may not be serious.
QUESTION: What is considered a serious adverse event?
ANSWER: Our definition of serious: It requires hospitalization — but only if the person is admitted to the hospital – and it results in death or disfigurement or a significant allergic reaction, potentially an anaphylactic reaction.
QUESTION: Can you provide some examples?
ANSWER: We’ve had reports of serious infections from tattoo ink. In 2004, the use of permanent makeup (lipstick and eyeliner) resulted in about 100 adverse events reports to the agency and a significant number resulted in permanent scarring. We have had reports of Mycobacterium chelonae infections in individuals who’d been tattooed with contaminated ink. [Mycobacterium chelonae infection can cause skin or eye abscesses, as well as pneumonia.]
QUESTION: What should someone do if he or she has had a problem with a cosmetic?
ANSWER: If they’ve had suffered an adverse effect, they should contact their health care provider to make sure they receive appropriate medical care. We’d like them to report to us, or have their health care provider report it by sending a product label. It would help us monitor and make decisions about products and ingredients we may need to look at more carefully. We have a link on our web site to make a report. The more information we get, the more helpful the report.
QUESTION: What does the FDA do to protect consumers from unsafe cosmetics?
ANSWER: We have labelling requirements. The FDA will look at information that comes to us. We do a certain amount of investigation and we can take enforcement action if products violate the law. We’ll send a warning letter to the firm and publish it online. We don’t have the ability to do a mandatory recall, but we can ask the company to do so. If the company doesn’t, we have legal recourse. We go through the Department of Justice to get the product seized. But that usually doesn’t happen; most firms, after the FDA calls, will agree to recall the product or make modifications.
QUESTION: How can consumers know that the cosmetics they are purchasing are safe?
ANSWER: The law doesn’t require FDA approval of ingredients, except colour additives. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure cosmetics are safe, so if a cosmetic is on the market, the manufacturer must have data to substantiate its safety. People can check our web site, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to email updates. The FDA asks consumers to make the best choices for themselves and their families. It’s important consumers read the label.
QUESTION: Why does the FDA regulate colour additives in makeup?
ANSWER: Some of them may be okay for use in food or drugs, but data have to be presented to the FDA. We certify that they don’t contain heavy metals or contaminants that shouldn’t be there.
QUESTION: What should consumers look for if they are purchasing homemade cosmetics or those provided by a small business?
ANSWER: There should be some labelling on the products. You should report it to FDA if it doesn’t. The only caveat is that if the product is being sold at a fair locally, it is not part of FDA’s jurisdiction. It’s up to the state and local authorities (to require disclosure of ingredients). As long as it’s not going through interstate commerce, it’s not under FDA jurisdiction.
QUESTION: Should consumers worry about phthalates or parabens in their cosmetics?
ANSWER: If health hazards exist, we’ll alert consumers. But at the moment, we don’t have reason to ban these from cosmetics. We will continue to evaluate these products as new information becomes available.
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