Two cosmetic products found to contain scheduled poisons - Health DG

Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said Beaute Treatment Cream was detected to contain hydroquinone, tretinoin and betamethasone 17-valerate, while Beaute Nite Cream had mercury and betamethasone 17-valerate.

He said products that contain hydroquinone, tretinoin and betamethasone 17-valerate need to be registered with the Drug Control Authority and could only be used with the advice of health professionals.

"The use of products containing the substance without the supervision of health professionals could lead to unwanted side effects," he said in a statement today.

He said mercury could be absorbed into the body and cause damage to the kidneys and nervous system, as well as disrupt the brain development of young or unborn children, besides causing rashes, irritation and other changes to the skin.

"Hydroquinone can cause skin redness, discomfort, skin discolouration and hypersensitivity. It can also inhibit the pigmentation process (depigmentation), which reduces the skin's protection from harmful UV rays, thus increasing the risk of skin cancer," he said.

The use of tretinoin could cause redness to the skin, discomfort, stinging, peeling and sensitivity to sunlight, while betamethasone 17-valerate can cause thinning of the facial skin, irritation, acne, changes in skin pigmentation and increase the risk of being absorbed into the blood circulation system, which can have harmful effects.

Dr Muhammad Radzi said sellers and distributors should stop selling and distributing these cosmetic products immediately as it violates the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984.

Individuals who violate the regulation can be fined not more than RM25,000 or face a maximum of three years imprisonment, or both, for the first offence and fined not more than RM50,000 or a maximum of five years imprisonment, or both, for subsequent offences.

Companies that commit the offence could be fined up to RM50,000 the first time and RM100,000 for subsequent offences.

"Consumers are advised to stop using the products immediately and seek the advice of healthcare professionals if they experience any discomfort or adverse effects," he said.

The public is encouraged to check the notification status of a cosmetic product at the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) official website at www.npra.gov.my or through the 'NPRA Product Status' application that can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.