A new report issued recently by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics warns the health hazards that could cause facial paintings used especially by children and youth in celebrations such as Halloween. After evaluating ten products facial paintings of the types widely available via Internet, in crafts or Halloween stores, the researchers found the following: ten facial paintings products contained lead, and 6 of 10 had known allergens from the skin, such as nickel, cobalt or chromium at levels above the recommendations of industrial studies, warned Stacy Malkanco-founder of the campaign, co-author of the report and author of the book Not Just a Pretty Face, published in 2007, in which speaks of the potentially dangerous ingredients in cosmetics. Malkan said in the new report that, unfortunately, we find lead in all of them and according to experts agree, exposure to lead can cause behavioral problems and development. Research He found that there were also problems with labelling, since some products claimed to be hypo-allergenic but were not, while a product announced in the package as hypoallergenic and non-toxic, and it had some of the highest levels of nickel, cobalt and lead, Malkan said. Found lead ranged from 0.054 to 0.65 parts per million.
Four of the ten products had nickel which ranged between 2.1 and 5.9 parts per million; two of ten had cobalt, with levels of between 4.8 and 5.5 parts per million. Five of ten had chrome, which ranged from 1.6 to 120 parts per million. According to the report, levels of each not exceeded the equivalent of one part per million for consumer products. Recommendations of experts Dr. Dennis Woo, former Chief of Pediatrics of the Santa Monica Medical Center – UCLA and the Hospital of Orthopaedics in Santa Monica, California, who reviewed the report, said that using face painting only once a year probably not It will greatly affect the health, however he said that he was surprised the amount of heavy metals that were found in the facial paintings and which should be more analyze these things, because there is no reason for these metals are in cosmetics. In contrast Dr.
Wally Ghurabi, Chief of emergency services the Santa Monica Medical Center – UCLA and Orthopaedic Hospital, believes that even the use of these facial paintings once a year might not be worthwhile. Concerned parents should dispense with these paintings, he said. If that these paintings are applied do not carefully, he noted, and put the paint very near the eyes or nose, this could cause them a potential harm. On the other hand the FDA recommends the following who despite warnings choose to use this type of paintings 1) follow the directions carefully, including instructions to not use products around the eyes. (2) If the face paint smells bad, don’t use it since it could be contaminated. (3) Make a test face painting a few days before use to ensure that they will not be allergic reaction to it. Visit salud.es to continue reporting you!