Banned steroid found in quarter of skin masks checked in south China
The products contained glucocorticoid, which can cause inflammation and acne when used too much, quality inspectors say
About a quarter of facial masks screened by quality inspectors in southern China have been found to contain a banned steroid hormone.
A survey by the Guangdong provincial food and drug administration found that 33 of 137 types of facial mask bought from online shops and on WeChat social media contained glucocorticoid, used to treat skin inflammation and allergies, state broadcaster CCTV reported. A mainland regulation issued in 2007 to govern the quality of cosmetics bans the addition of the steroid.
Doctors said excessive use of the steroid could cause dependence, meaning the user’s skin could develop serious problems such as allergies, inflammation, pimples and expansion of capillaries once the person stopped using products containing it.
Many cosmetics exaggerate their functions
Experts said it could take only two weeks to develop such a dependence if a person used a facial mask containing the steroid every day. The treatment is a complicated and drawn-out process.
Dr Wang Baoxi, a dermatologist from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences’ Plastic Surgery Hospital said an increasing number of people had developed such dependence over the past decade. They mainly absorbed the steroid hormone from cosmetics and products purported to be health enhancing. He said about one-fifth of his patients had the problem and they all used cosmetics daily or went to beauty salons frequently.
“Many cosmetics exaggerate their functions by saying they could infuse water into skin, make the skin white and tender or make people look younger. But I am afraid a majority of these products contain hormones,” he said.
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One product said its masks could add five times the amount of water into the skin as much-touted hyaluronic acid and make it look 37 times whiter than pearl powders could. Another facial mask brand, which sells for 199 yuan (HK$230) per mask, claimed to help fight skin inflammation and protect skin from smog.
Guangdong officials found that the more expensive the masks, the more likely they were to contain hormones. Of six types of facial masks priced below 20 yuan each, none contained steroids, while 19 of 75 facial masks priced at 20 to 100 yuan per mask contained the material.
Officials reminded the public that details of every cosmetics product eligible to be sold on the mainland could be found on the website of the China Food and Drug Administration.
