Have you checked your child’s makeup kit and body products? Did you know that they may contain toxic ingredients that could cause kidney-related problems — or even cancer?
Dermatologists in India agree, and ask parents to be extra cautious as they hand over makeup kits to their children — at an age when their skin is still delicate.
Dr Girish MS, senior skin specialist at ESIC Hospital in Bengaluru, said the damage caused by makeup, cosmetics and any kind of skin-care product is real, and has both short-term and long-term effects.
“From simple allergic reactions known as contact dermatitis, children can even develop neurological disorders, hormonal issues, thyroid, and even kidney-related problems. There is the possibility of exposure to carcinogens, leading to breast cancers,” Dr Girish told South First.
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Problem products?
While doctors stress that not all cosmetic products lead to health- or allergy-related issues, they specify that makeup, when used by younger children, especially by tweens and teens, could cause various problems.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said that the common allergens in cosmetic products are fragrances, preservatives, metals like mercury, lead, dyes, and natural rubber.
According to dermatologists South First spoke to, there is an increasing trend of children between the age of 14-18 years using foundation, concealers, compact powders, and lipsticks on a daily basis, even to schools.
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Occasional use is fine
“I do not want to create a fear psychosis and say that all makeup is bad for all ages. But at what age you start and how delicate your skin is, is something that needs to be thought about,” renowned Bengaluru dermatologist Dr Anil Abraham told South First.
‘Cosmetic Acne’ caused due to use of make up in a 17 year old girl. (Supplied)
Children using makeup occasionally, say, for a school event or TV show, is okay and the only thing parents need to ensure is that it is removed before they sleep so that their pores are not blocked, increasing the chances of acne, explained Dr Abraham.
More problematic is children doing “mimicry makeup’, or often trying their mother’s makeup. Such use could not only cause acne, dry skin, and itching-related issues, but also viral infections like herpes, or bacterial infections.
“Children are prone to atopic dermatitis. If they pick their parent’s makeup and use it on their skin they have high chances of developing dermatitis,” said Dr Soumya Sachdeva, consultant dermatologist at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Ghaziabad.
Social media and makeup
Social media, which encourages children to appear “flawless”, has contributed to the problem, said Dr Sachdeva, adding that many parents too are fault here.
Influence of social media, desire to look flawless on instagram can force children to apply makeup. (Creative Commons)
“A lot of children, even very young ones, are on Instagram. They are encouraged to post more and more ‘reels’. The lens magnifies the smallest pimple or flaw on their skin. To cover this up, they tend to use all kinds of makeup — from foundation to primers to compact, blush, and lipsticks,” noted Dr Abraham.
Or they use filters that make them look different than what they are, and they begin to hate themselves in front of the mirror.
“One’s expectation and ideas of perfection get skewed due to the pressure of social media. This can also lead to serious mental health issues,” he added.
Peer pressure also has a role in the increasing use of makeup, with girls getting bullied for acne or any small mark on their face.
“This can get dangerous when done with no proper supervision. Unhygienic application, use of harsh products, and not removing makeup after use can lead to various skin-related problems,” said Dr Girish.
use of lip stick and lip balm can lead to allergic reactions (Supplied)
Societal expectations
Interestingly, even preteen girls are coming to doctors with very precise complaints: “I have double-tone skin”, “my skin is oily”, “I need fair, glassy Korean skin”.
This is not a good trend, said Dr Abraham.
However, parents themselves are sometimes responsible, said Bengaluru dermatologist Dr Abhiram. Many parents visit his clinic with complaints about the colour of their child’s skin.
“They want their child to be fair-skinned. Some of them would have already used some Ayurvedic fairness cream, or ointments and creams recommended by neighbors and relatives, which would already have damaged the child’s skin to a great extent,” he told South First.
Dr Abraham concurs. “They start using whitening products not just on themselves but also on children,” he said, adding that his advice to parents is to be comfortable in their own skin colour.
The many risks
Dr Abhiram recalled a Mumbai case where three of a family ended up with kidney illness after they used an Ayurvedic fairness cream. The trio developed glomerulonephritis, a condition in which the tiny filters in the kidney are damaged.
use of powder, compact on young tender skin can lead to tinea, infection of the skin. Avoid makeup, say doctors. (Supplied)
Doctor who diagnosed their kidney problem found that it was the makeup kit they were using that had led to the illness.
“The levels of mercury in that cream was in the thousands. The allowed amount is less than 1 ppm (part per million). One patient’s blood had a mercury level of 46, against a normal count of less than 7,” Dr Abhiram said.
Earlier, many fairness creams and soaps used to have high levels of mercury as it gave an instant glow to the skin. Later, as awareness grew that mercury is a heavy metal toxic to humans as it can inhibit cells responsible for pigmentation-melanocytes, which can affect the kidneys, the levels have been cut down drastically in all approved creams, Dr Abhiram explained.
Skin lightening products with mercury can not just cause kidney damage but also lead to reduction in the skin’s resistance to bacterial infections, he added.
Exposure to environmental toxins was one of the suspected causes of an increase in the incidence of cancer, said Dr Narayana Subramaniam, a consultant and the HoD of Head n Neck Surgical Oncology at the Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital & Research Centre in Bengaluru.
“This is a major concern, especially at a younger age, when the dose of these agents required to impact health is less, and the impact of cumulative exposure is pronounced,” he explained.
“It is important to limit exposure to these synthetic substances: Even when not carcinogenic, many substances have been shown to be endocrine disruptors that adversely affect health,” added the doctor.
Makeup for kids
There might, of course, be situations when even children could need to use makeup to manage certain conditions, but this must be done using safe products and under supervision of a dermatologist, Dr Abraham said.
“Most good products will have inert ingredients — non-chemically reactive products that won’t cause any reactions. We have to look for terms like non-allergic, hypoallergenic, non-acnogenic, etc, on the labels. These are the ones that can be used for this age group.”
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How does skin absorb toxins?
The skin is made of three layers: Hypodermis, the innermost layer with fat and connective tissue; the dermis, where the collagen, connective tissue, blood vessels, sweat glands and hair follicles exist; and then the epidermis, which is the outermost layer.
The epidermis is made of dead skin cells which act as defense against microbes. In healthy skin, that creates a barrier and blocks invading substances and locks in moisture. But when you use a product on your skin, it may penetrate the top layer, leading to absorption.
Use of eye liner and eye shadow on young children can cause damage to the skin. (Supplied)
Some ingredients, though not all, get in through the hair follicles and sweat gland pores. The thinner the skin, the greater the absorption. Absorption of creams is high on eyelids, for instance, explained Dr Abhiram.
Dermatologists told South First that the absorption rate in children is 10 percent higher when compared to adults as they have a faster metabolism.
Long and short of it
And when it comes to dermatological issues, there are two kind of effects: Immediate and long-term.
The immediate effect, which form the bulk of the cases doctors see, include allergic reactions or contact dermatitis. This can be seen as redness, itching, dryness due to sensitivity to any ingredients in the makeup.
Similarly, is the growing number of cases with acne cosmetica — pimples caused by blocked skin pores. There are also cases of eye irritations and infections caused after products like mascara or eyeshadow.
“Many heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, lead, chromium are found in lipsticks, eyeliners, nail colours, etc, and can lead to health complications, including early exposure to carcinogens,” Dr Girish explained.
These have been linked to cancers that are hormonally driven like breast, prostate, ovarian and endomaterial cancers, said Dr Girish.
Makeup products not scrutinised well!
Makeup products in the Indian market do not come under regular drug approvals, but under the Drugs and Cosmetic Act and Rules. Many products in the market have not been scrutinised properly, especially those labelled as Ayurveda, dermatologists said.
The products that dermatologists worry most about are those with nano-sized particles.
“Nano-sized particle-based cream or lotion would penetrate through the skin and reach the layers or the levels where it is needed. But this can be a double-edged sword, as these nano particles could go right through the skin and be absorbed into the blood stream. These are the products one needs to be careful of,” said Dr Abraham.
These heavy toxic materials get absorbed faster in children’s skin as the surface-to-volume ratio is higher in them.
“Take topical steroids like betnovate cream, which adults use for skin brightening and skin glow. Of late, there has been an abuse of this steroid. Topical steroids should not be used on the face but they go to pharmacists and buy them,” Dr Sachdeva.
“These steroids can cause a lot of side effects. It can even lead to developmental delay,” she added, recalling a patient as young as 16 with hypertension secondary caused by the use of topical steroids.
What should the products not contain?
According to dermatologists, the products in general should not contain parabens, propylene glycol and ethanolamine compounds.
Avoid using products which have heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury.
Bright colours, skin glow and whitening creams tend to have highest level of steroids and few may have high mercury levels.
Tips for parents
- There may be products that are labelled as “natural” and “organic” but they may not be regulated. Some of them may not even be approved by the authorities.
- Avoid ingredients that are harmful. One can look into Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database to search for items by brand name and safety rating.
- Start with less makeup, maybe just a lip-gloss for a pre-teen. Around 17-18 years, they could begun using compacts, foundation — occasionally.
- Heavy lipsticks and eyeliners are best avoided below 18 years.
- Test the product before using on a child’s face.
- Watch for skin irritations like redness, hives and swelling after use of makeup.
- If your child has sensitive, acne-prone skin,best to avoid makeup. Use only with consultation.
- Skin regimen is a must. Adolescent children must to be taught to wash their face with a mild cleanser or even coconut oil to remove makeup.
- Avoid makeup products nearing expiry. They are known to cause damage to skin.
- Replace cosmetics every six to 12 months to minimise any contamination.
- Do not share each other’s products. It can cause bacterial infections.
- Ask for products that are paraben-free, sulphate-free, fragrance-free.
