The Norwegian Institute of Public Health issued its first report of adverse effects from cosmetic products and found permanent hair dyes and face and body moisturizers to register the most severe or highest number of reports from health professionals. The institute defines cosmetic products as “all products that are applied to the external parts of the body, such as teeth and oral mucous membranes and are intended to prevent body odor, to clean, perfume, protect, preserve or affect the appearance.”
The report covers notices filed with the institute between 2008 and 2010. The institute received 96 notifications — mainly from pharmacists or physicians — covering 120 products, and most concerned products such as moisturizers, cleansers, sunscreens, and hair coloring.
Face and body moisturizers generated the largest number of reported adverse effects. Of the 120 products reported, 69 involved face or body moisturizers. The adverse effects reported varied from mild symptoms that disappear a few hours or a few days after the consumer has stopped using the product to severe reactions that may persist for several weeks with symptoms such as eczema, rash, blistering, and itching.
Permanent hair dyes, while registering only seven notices, had the most severe adverse effects, mainly allergic in nature. These reports included eczema, redness, blistering, and itching of the scalp, face and throat, and swelling on the forehead or around the eyes. Many of the symptoms appeared one to two days after coloring the hair and persisted from one week to several months.
The study noted that Norway’s system that relies on health professionals to make the notifications may be under-reporting the number of adverse reactions. The system in the Netherlands, says the Institute’s paper, uses a Web-based system for consumers to report problems with cosmetics, which generates about 100 notices a month, compared to about 50 per year in Norway.
Read more: Cosmetics Group Calls for More FDA Oversight of Ingredients
Photo: LisaH/Flicker
* * *
RSS - Posts
You must be logged in to post a comment.