Crackdown begins on hazardous cosmetics

Teams formed to tackle surge in unsafe beauty products

LAHORE:

In a bid to curb the proliferation of hazardous cosmetics and unauthorised beauty procedures, the Punjab government has declared a zero-tolerance stance, announcing a comprehensive crackdown on such practices.

Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir unveiled the initiative during a press conference on Friday. The crackdown will involve dedicated teams, comprising staff from the Punjab Healthcare Commission and the Drug Control Directorate of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare department.

These specialised teams will target hazardous cosmetics, assessing their registration status, and scrutinise practitioners administering beauty injections or operating aesthetic clinics for various surgeries.

The Drug Control Directorate will focus on the verification of registration for beauty creams and cosmetics, while the Healthcare Commission professionals will review clinical practices at these establishments.

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Dr Nasir expressed concern over the escalating use of hazardous cosmetics in Pakistan, particularly sub-standard fairness creams, which he attributed to causing skin diseases under the guise of enhancing beauty.

The minister highlighted that unregistered beauty creams have inflicted irrecoverable damage to the skin of numerous users. Some cosmetics have been found to contain elevated levels of mercury, lead, poisons, and other harmful chemicals, which could potentially lead to life-threatening diseases such as liver or kidney cancer, the minister warned.

To address this, beauty creams from 24 prominent brands are undergoing rigorous examination at the Drug Testing Laboratory in Lahore. Strict actions will be taken if any of these are found to contain harmful chemicals.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2024.