PETALING JAYA: Dermatologists and experts advise consumers to carefully check labels and be wary of many products on the market, especially those on social media, that may contain harmful substances.
Dr Chin Shih Choon, secretary of the Association of Registered Aesthetic Doctors Malaysia, said that there are many cases of cosmetic products available in the market that contain dangerous chemicals such as mercury that can damage the skin.
ALSO READ: INTERACTIVE: Crackdown on toxic beauty ingredients
“I think we should avoid all these types of products, especially those with dubious products with exaggerated or misleading comments,” he said, when contacted yesterday.
“If the product is known to cause health issues or damage to your skin, you should check with the Health Ministry or the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA),” he said.
Asked if he had come across such cases, he said he has treated such cases, mostly due to allergic reactions.
“Sometimes consumers want fast results but they might be duped, especially those sold widely on social media platforms like TikTok or Facebook,” he said.
ALSO READ: When the search for beauty turns beastly
The NPRA has banned several substances in beauty products effective Nov 21 containing octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4); perboric acid, sodium perborate and boron compounds; and 2-(4-tert-butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (p-BMHCA), among others.
The European Commission had restricted the use of silicones octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) in wash-off personal care products in May.
Malaysia Association of Therapist Industry Development president Dr Baskaran Kosthi said he treats patients who have used harmful beauty products and they have suffered from burns, rashes and even permanent damage and disfigured faces.
He said his patients range from those from lower-income groups to the “elite”, with insecurity usually the reason pushing them to opt for such beauty products.
“Many people seek these kinds of products because they want quick results to appear attractive, but they quickly get side effects too.
“The beauty is only temporary but the side effects can be permanent,” he said.
Dr Baskaran said that women should learn to age gracefully and not opt for “quick fixes”.
“Ladies cannot look like a 16-year-old at 60,” he added.
“Malaysians have to be really selective when it comes to beauty, slimming and whitening products.
“Go back to basics. It’s not wrong to be beautiful, but not at the expense of their health.
“You may have 1,000 problems, but once you have a health problem, that will turn out to be the main problem,” he said.
The naturopathy doctor said that side effects from harmful beauty products can be prevented, adding, “We can always prevent it by keeping our beauty routine simple.”
