HONG KONG : The Hong Kong government Thursday warned the public
about the poisoning hazard of a beauty cream that contains more
than 30,000 times as much mercury as allowed under regulatory
limits.
The appeal followed a report of a 39-year-old woman who suffered
from mercury poisoning after using the Whitening Sunblock Cream
bought in South China's Shenzhen city.
The health department said chemical analysis of two bottles of the
cream found the mercury content was 34,000 parts per million (ppm)
and 38,000 ppm respectively, compared with the regulatory limit for
cosmetics in China of one ppm.
Although the woman suffered only from a skin rash, authorities
warned mercury poisoning could cause hand tremors, visual or
hearing loss, memory deterioration, irritability and sleeping
difficulties.
The metal can damage kidneys resulting in oedema, particularly in
the ankles and legs. It can also pass from a pregnant woman to her
fetus resulting in impaired brain development.
The product was not believed to be on sale in Hong Kong.
- AFP /ct
