The Danger of Mercury in Beauty Products

This year, some countries and states around the world have banned beauty products that contain mercury. It is because the awareness of how dangerous the toxin effect brought up by mercury through some beauty cosmetic. Unfortunately, some countries still allow the usage of this substance at low levels as preservative and germ killer. Some federal laws are also allow cosmetic contain up to 65 per million of mercury.

Long term usage of cosmetic that contains mercury will deliver common symptoms such as peripheral neuropathy or the feeling of itching, burning, or pain on your skin. It can also cause skin discoloration; swelling and dead skin peels off in layers. Mercury will block the degradation pathway of the catecholamines, thus the epinephrine excess will cause hyperhidrosis or we can call it as profuse sweating. When the effect getting worse, it can faster your heart beat and blood pressure.

For children, the effects are even worse. Not only they will get red cheeks, nose and lips, but also loss of hair, teeth, and nails. In some cases, the symptoms also involve muscle weakness, kidney dysfunction and neuropsychiatric symptoms such as emotional liability, memory impairment and insomnia.

However, industries still arguing that while mercury is hazardous at high levels, the quantities found in cosmetics are not sufficient to present those risks. Using eye makeup that contains mercury is unlikely to cause immediate health problems, but still, mercury accumulates in the body. It will be more dangerous if a woman who is a regular user of cosmetic that contains mercury is pregnant, because it can retard brain development in children and fetuses.

Be careful also with the mercury fumes accumulated inside your cosmetic tube or jar, it will be a potential toxic exposure if someone inhales the fumes. The best solution to avoid this problem is carefully choose a cosmetic and report it if you found a product that contains mercury. You can check it out by applying the product on your palm and rub it with something made from golden. If it turns to grey, it means the product contains mercury. The darker the color is; the higher level of mercury contained by the product.

Ricardo Lubis

Pure Handmade Soap

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