While wingnuts like the EWG seek to squash US producers of safe cosmetics, we’re importing boatloads of mercury. Great.
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Some skin whitening creams contain toxic mercury, testing finds
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High levels found as products gain popularity worldwide |
Some creams promising to lighten skin, eliminate age spots and zap freckles contain high levels of mercury, a toxic metal that can cause severe health problems, a Tribune investigation has found. |
The newspaper sent 50 skin-lightening creams to a certified lab for testing, most of them bought in Chicago stores and a few ordered online. Six were found to contain amounts of mercury banned by federal law.
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Of those, five had more than 6,000 parts per million — enough to potentially cause kidney damage over time, according to a medical expert.
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The Food and Drug Administration banned mercury in skin-bleaching or lightening products in 1990, but the agency rarely tests the products to see if consumers are at risk. The Tribune’s tests — among only a handful ever conducted — show that tainted products are still readily available.
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