*Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, discloses the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of the regulatory agency is mandated to apprehend merchants of these harmful products and bring them to book

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

In an effort at sensitising Nigerians against the devastating impacts of the product, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has restated its warning to consumers to desist from using unauthorised cosmetics and dangerous chemicals for bleaching of the skin to enhance their beauty.

绿帽献妻 reports Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC gave the admonition at the weekend during the two-day retreat by the Agency鈥檚 Top Management Committee (TMC), in Lagos.

Sayo Akintola, Resident Media Consultant of the health regulatory agency, stated Prof. Adeyeye also expressed shock over the proliferation of beauticians engaged in formulation of unauthorised chemicals with the intention of applying them on their unsuspecting clients.

The regulator said the majority of Spa outlets, especially in the country’s cosmopolitan cities are culpable of this unhealthy practice of mixing chemicals and natural products.

NAFDAC mentioned such unauthorised products as pawpaw, carrot, etc., to make creams, for the clients’ use in Nigeria.

These are thereafter packaged, labelled, and sold online to clients, said Adeyeye.

The Director-General lamented that the Spa owners have gone further to influence some clinics with medical doctors joining to carry out these nefarious activities, which has advanced to include injected substances Vitamin C infusion and glutathione on clients.

According to her, the challenge in the enforcement of the agency鈥檚 safety regulations on bleaching agents at Spas, and other beauty parlors is that the products are prepared extemporaneously and covertly for individual clients.

She noted such products, therefore, rarely can you see the offending products on the shelves of these facilities. Notwithstanding, Adeyeye warned that this practice must stop as anyone apprehended by the agency would be prosecuted and jailed, if convicted.

NAFDAC further disclosed that most of the products used in these mixes are smuggled into the country and are unregistered, citing formulations containing Kojic Acid, and Hydroquinone that are above their permissible limits in the formulations, and therefore, at risk of causing harm.

It is for the same safety reason that the use of mercury was banned in cosmetics.

Adeyeye also said: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 just ban products because they are bleaching agents, but are prohibited because of safety issues surrounding particular ingredients in the products as they could cause skin cancer as well as damage the liver and kidney.

“She strongly highlighted the fact that the lightening of skin today could be cancer tomorrow.”

The NAFDAC Chief stated that many of the importers smuggle the products into the country under the guise of Global listing to bypass NAFDAC inspection.

Bleaching has become a pandemic among both women and their male counterparts, said she.

Adeyeye as well disclosed that the health regulator is on the heels of some people who engaged in online sales of dangerous unauthorised cosmetics and other products.

She said the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC has been given the directive to apprehend merchants of these dangerous products and bring them to book.

The Director-General stressed that the NAFDAC is not against the use of cosmetics.

She, however, restated that they must be regulated and confirmed safe for human use in the country.

Adeyeye highlighted the NAFDAC must uphold its mandate of citizens protection, by ensuring that the quality and safety of goods produced internally and imported into the country go through processes that meet global best practices.

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