NAFDAC moves against beauticians over rise in cancer scourge

By Adebayo Obajemu

Skin bleaching by mostly women has been identified as the main cause of cancer, whose rate is said to be on the increase. In recent times, skin bleaching by women and some men has suddenly become widespread and this has been associated with the deadly rise id skin cancer in the society, which is beginning to cause concern among health authorities in the country.

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, recently raised the alarm over the rising incidence and vowed to deal with the perpetrators to save the unsuspecting public from danger. NAFDAC last week indicated its resolve to clamp down on producers of bleaching creams in the country, saying the escalation in the use of such products has led to an unprecedented increase in the number of skin cancer in women in the country.

The agency in a strongly worded statement said it would begin a new wave of inspection and scrutiny of the sector with a view to identifying and punishing those involved in the illegal manufacturing of the bleaching creams.
The warning was made by the Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye at a retreat by the Agency’s Top Management Committee (TMC) on the proliferation of beauticians engaged in formulation of unauthorized chemicals with the intention of applying them on their unsuspecting clients.

She hinted that a great number of Spa outlets in the nation’s cosmopolitan cities are culpable of this unhealthy practice of mixing chemicals and natural products like pawpaw and carrot, among others to make creams for the clients’ use.

According to her, the agency has observed that after illegal production of these illicit creams by unscrupulous beauticians, they are thereafter packaged, labelled, and sold online to clients, adding that the Spa owners have gone further to influence some clinics with medical doctors joining to carry out these nefarious activities which has advanced to include injected substances such as vitamin C infusion and glutathione on clients.

The major challenge for NAFDAC according to Adeyeye is that the products are prepared extemporaneously and covertly for individual clients and therefore, “rarely can you see the end products on the shelves of these facilities.
She hinted that if culprits do not stop the practice, the agency will intensify surveillance, and anyone caught in the act will be made to face prosecution with a view to jailing them to serve as a deterrent to others.

According to her, most of the products used in these mixes are smuggled into the country and are unregistered, citing formulations containing Kojic Acid, and Hydroquinone that are above their permissible limits in the formulations and therefore at risk of causing harm.

She averred that it was because of the same safety factor that the use of mercury was banned in cosmetics.

She stated that: “we don’t just ban products because they are bleaching agents but are prohibited because of safety issues surrounding particular ingredients in the products as they could cause skin cancer as well as damage the liver and kidney. She strongly highlighted the fact that the lightening of skin today could be cancer tomorrow.”

She noted that many of the importers smuggle the products into the country under the guise of Global listing to bypass NAFDACinspection, adding that bleaching has become a pandemic amongst both women and their male counterparts.

She further disclosed that the Agency is on the heels of some people who engaged in online sales of dangerous unauthorized cosmetics and other products, adding that the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC has been given the directive to apprehend merchants of these dangerous products and bring them to book.

Skin bleaching refers to the use of products to lighten dark areas of the skin or achieve an overall lighter complexion. These products include bleaching creams, soaps, and pills, as well as professional treatments like chemical peels and laser therapy.

Many experts spoken to by Business Hallmark say there is no health benefit to skin bleaching. Results aren’t guaranteed and there’s evidence that skin lightening can result in serious side effects and complications.

A number of countries have banned the use of skin bleaching products because of the dangers associated with them.

In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Trusted Source also issued a notice that over-the-counter (OTC) skin bleaching products are not recognized as safe and effective. The products were deemed not safe for human use based on a review of evidence.

Dr. Akin Ademola, a dermatologist told this medium that “skin bleaching has been associated with a number of adverse health effects. He stated that some skin
bleaching creams made outside of the United States have been linked to mercury toxicity.

Mercury has been banned as an ingredient in skin lightening products in the United States, but products made in other countries like here in Nigeria or Republic of Benin still contain mercury.

In a 2014 study by Trusted Source of 549 skin lightening creams bought online and in stores, nearly 12 percent contained mercury. About half of these products came from U.S. stores.

Not too long ago, Dr. Olayinka
Adeyemii, a Lagos-based dermatologist, in a chat with journalists urged Nigerians, especially women, to desist from applying body creams capable of causing skin bleaching.

He stated that bleached skin highly favoured and sought after by women all in the name of beauty can cause skin cancer, hypertension, and diabetics among other diseases.

More and more women have adopted the habit of applying bleaching agents to make them look beautiful.

According to Adeyemi skin-lightning agents often applied in bleaching process have a high concentration of steroid and hydroquinone which could adversely affect human skins.

“The steroid they use cause accumulation of fluid in the body which can cause cushioned syndrome. In this case, they can become hypertensive and end up having renal problem.
“A lot of things ranging from the skin effect to systemic effect, affect people who are using hydroquinone.

“When they tone, what happens is that some of these products especially the hydroquinone that is inside the product basically suppresses the melanin production.

“It makes sure that the skin thickness is thinned out. The strength of the skin is what actually thins out which is the dermis because the skin has three layers.

“The dermis has the strength of about 95 per cent on its own. When hydroquinone is used, the dermis is what thins out, meaning that the structural support of the skin will gradually be lost,’’ he said.

The dermatologist said that those who engaged in bleaching risked their nails turning brown and were prone to suffering from body odour.

He further averred that such person applying bleaching cream will on the long run suffer from profuse sweating, hot feelings and discomfort during the dry season.

He hinted that original skin of every human being is meant for the protection of the body, saying that such skin would lose its immunity to protect the body once bleached.

“We are naturally protected by the original skin; a bleached skin is prone to cancer and other diseases because the chemical used would have removed the immunity from the skin.

“People need to be educated on how to take care of their original skin colour from birth.

“God has a reason for creating us the way it pleases him; we must cherish our skin, be it black, caramel, or light complexion.

“It is lack of contentment and understanding that makes some people use various means to change their skin complexion,” he said

He advised those who used skin toner or bleaching creams to see a professional aesthetic medicine physician, dermatologist on how to manage their skins.

Another dermatologist, Dr. Paulina Obademi told Business Hallmark that ” a bleached skin has big risk of infection and such skin is difficult to operate on, so bleaching could be very dangerous to the human skins.

She hinted any injury on bleached skin is almost impossible to heal because the skin had become weak.

“Even when they have an open wound and it is taken to the hospital, it might be difficult for the wound to close up.

“Bleaching creams make the vein so obvious that you can almost see them through the skin, compared to the people who have thick dermis, it makes the knuckles darker.’’