"The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is warning that many of the products contain substances that are banned because of the serious risks they pose to health, including skin damage, infections and pregnancy complications. Officers say that, as well as online, they are finding them more frequently in Asian and Arab stores, plus specialist butchers and grocery stores for other diverse communities, whom the products are primarily targeted at."
"As a Black woman and a longstanding advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion, I want to be absolutely clear: the sale of illegal skin lightening products is not only dangerous, it is unlawful. Many of these products contain banned substances such as high levels of hydroquinone, mercury or potent corticosteroids. Under UK product safety and cosmetics legislation, these ingredients are strictly prohibited because of the serious and sometimes irreversible harm they can cause, including skin thinning, organ damage and other long-term health complications."
Illegal skin lightening products are appearing in a wide range of UK outlets, including butchers, specialist food shops, small grocery stores and online. Many products contain banned substances such as high levels of hydroquinone, mercury and potent corticosteroids. These ingredients can cause skin thinning, infections, organ damage, pregnancy complications and other long-term or irreversible health harms. Retailers are legally responsible for ensuring product safety and compliance, with lack of awareness not a defence. Use of skin lightening products is influenced by complex social and personal factors, including colourism and social pressures in some communities.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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