Health Alert: FDA directs recall of 41 cosmetic products

Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has warned the public against using some 41 cosmetic products which it says contain harmful substances including mercury, hydroquinone and steroids.

The FDA has also directed the producers of the harmful products to recall them from the market with immediate effect.

The directive issued by the FDA after investigations on the Ghanaian market revealed that the cosmetic products contain some harmful substances which violate the Standards Authority Act, 1973 (N.R.C.D.1 173) as well as sections 111 (c) and 113 (b) of the Public Health Act, 2012, Act 851.

“The companies whose products contain these substances (mercury, hydroquinone and steroids) have been directed to initiate an immediate recall of their products from the market as they pose a potential health risk,” the FDA said in a statement signed by its Head Communications and Public Education Department, James Lartey.

“These substances are not permitted in cosmetic products due to their adverse side effects over prolonged use. The adverse health effects associated with these substances include but not limited to the following: permanent neurological damage in children (pre—natal and neo-natal, kidney toxicity, fertility problems, birth defects, gastrointestinal toxicity, liver toxicity, skin infections, skin cancer and hyperpigmentation/Ochronosis”.

The products include Perfect White Beauty Lotion (Clobetasol, Hydroquinone) and Day By Day Men Perfect Body Lotion (Betamethasone) produced by DIMD Limited as well as Ahoofs Foundation Body Cream (Mercury, Hydroquinone) produced by Banare Limited and Fair & White So White Skin Perfector Brightening and Moisturizing Body Milk (Hydroquinone) produced by France Mod Limited.

The list of companies and products that contain the substances that are not permitted in cosmetic products are:

DIMD Limited

1. Perfect White Beauty Lotion (Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

2. Day By Day Men Perfect Body Lotion (Betamethasone)

Banare Limited

1. Ahoofs Foundation Body Cream (Mercury, Hydroquinone)

France Mod Limited

1. Fair & White So White Skin Perfector Brightening and Moisturizing Body Milk (Hydroquinone)

IVO Ghana Limited

1. Zoe Peau Sublime Beauty Lotion (BN:AF50.04000002.09:15) (Mercury, Betamethasone, Hydroquinone)

2. Zoe Peau Sublime Beauty Lotion (BN: not stated) (Mercury, Betamethasone, Hydroquinone) Body Clear Lightening Lotion (BN: not stated) (Mercury, Hydroquinone)

4. Zoe Peau Sublime Face Corrective Cream (BN: not stated) (Mercury, Clobetasol, Betamethasone)

5. Body Fashion Body Milk (BN: not stated) (Mercury, Hydroquinone)

6. HT7 Hyprogel Body Lotion (BN: not stated) (Betamethasone)

7. Beauty Clinic Whitening Lotion (BN: AF51.0500 0001) (Mercury, Hydroquinone)

Magic Dodo Ltd

1. Dodo Beauty Lightening Lotion (BN: 006114) (Mercury, Hydroquinone)

2. Marie France Skin Care (BN: 006045) (Mercury, Betamethasone, Hydroquinone

Nouvelle Parfumrie Gandour Ghana Limited

1. Tiatio Concentrated Serum (Betamethasone, Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

2. Bravia Unifying Body Cream (BN: 1006618) (Hydroquinone)

3. Bronze Tone Cocoa Butter and Honey Extracts (Hydroquinone)

4. Passionella Complexion Unifying Serum (Hydroquinone)

5. Passionella Brightening Cream (BN2241540) (Hydroquinone)

6. Fluo Pommade a Huile de Ricin (Betamethasone)

7. Bravia Lotion (Mercury, Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

8. Doctoress Creme (Clobetasol)

9. Pure Skin Vanishing Care Body Cream (Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

10. Senophine Creme (Clobetasol)

11.Abana Facial Creme (Mercury, Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

12.Bronze Tone Maxi Tone Cocoa Butter & Honey Extract Lotion (Hydroquinone)

13.Maxilight Lightening & Purifying Body Lotion (Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

14.G&G Body Cream (Mercury, Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

Paradise Cosmetics Limited

1. Bioskin Lightening Body Lotion (BN: 750) (Hydroquinone, Clobetasol)

2. Bioskin Lightening Body Lotion (BN: 847) (Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

3. Clair—Liss Genial Lightening Body Cream (BN: 39834) (Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

4. Clair—Liss Genial Lightening Body Cream (9816) (Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

5. Sivoclair Lightening Body Lotion (BN-3560) (Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

6. Goldskin Clarifying Body Lotion with Argan Oil (BN: 740) (Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

7. Goldskin Fast Action Cream with Argan Oil (BN: 607025) (Clobetasol)

8. Peau Claire Lightening Body Cream (BN: 3926) (Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

9. Biocarrot Lightening Body Lotion (BN: 167) (Clobetasol, Hydroquinone)

Stopover JRA Enterprise

1. RA Foundation Body Cream (Mercury, Hydroquinone)

Universal Basic Company Limited

1. Tendrina Special Hand and Body Complexion Lotion (BN: 139) (Betamethasone)

2. Tendrina Complexion Cream (BN: CT 4003) (Betamethasone)

3. Tendrina Hand and Body Complexion Lotion (BN: not legible) (Betamethasone)

4. TC 35 Clear Complexion Milk (BN: 14352) (Betamethasone)