Skin Lightening Products Linked to Neurological Problems, Kidney Damage: FDA

Potentially dangerous skin lightening products were found to be sold on Amazon, Etsy, eBay, Walmart and other online retailers.

Federal health officials are warning consumers to avoid a growing number of skin lightening products found to contain mercury, hydroquinone or both ingredients, indicating the cosmetics may pose serious health risks and are being sold through major online marketplaces despite longstanding safety concerns.

In an FDA consumer alert announced on June 1, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that investigators and state health officials have identified numerous skin lightening, whitening, bleaching and brightening products that contain potentially harmful ingredients.

The products were found to be available through online retailers, including Amazon, Etsy, eBay, Walmart and other websites. They include African Queen Strong Bleaching Treatment, Omni Gold, Face Fresh Beauty Cream and others. A full list of affected brands can be found in the FDA alert.

The FDA warns that repeated use of products containing mercury or hydroquinone can result in the chemicals accumulating in the body, potentially leading to serious health complications affecting the nervous system, kidneys and other organs.

Skin Lightening Product Warnings

This is not the first time researchers have warned consumers about the dangers of skin lightening products. In 2023, a study highlighted the serious health risks that women of color face from ingredients in skin lightening products.

In addition, a CNN report from 2022 highlighted research showing that some skin lightening products contain dangerous levels of mercury. The report indicated that the FDA had monitored cases of mercury poisoning dating back to 2012. At the time, the California Department of Public Health had also received more than 60 reports of methyl mercury poisonings related to skin care products over the prior decade.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also issued a warning about skin bleaching products in 2019 after reviewing a case study involving a 47 year-old woman from Sacramento, California, who became comatose after reportedly using an imported skin lightening cream.

Skin Lightening Product Risks

Skin lightening products are often marketed as treatments for uneven skin tone, acne scars, age spots, freckles and wrinkles. They are commonly sold as creams, lotions, soaps and powders, and may be labeled as whitening, fading, brightening or evening products.

According to the FDA, mercury and hydroquinone work by reducing the skin’s production of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color. However, exposure to either ingredient can result in adverse health effects, particularly when products are used repeatedly over long periods of time.

The agency warns that mercury exposure has been linked to neurological damage, kidney injury, mood changes, memory problems, numbness and tremors. Hydroquinone has also been associated with serious side effects, including skin irritation and ochronosis, a potentially permanent darkening and thickening of the skin.

“The longer and more frequently these products are used, the greater the risk of harm. Certain groups, including children and pregnant individuals, face heightened risks and should avoid exposure to these products.”

— U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Federal regulators note that no over-the-counter skin lightening products containing hydroquinone are approved for sale in the United States. While some prescription products contain hydroquinone under medical supervision, over-the-counter products marketed with the ingredient are considered unapproved drugs. Mercury is generally prohibited in cosmetic products.

As a result, the FDA recommends consumers carefully review product labels and avoid any skin lightening products listing ingredients such as mercury, mercurous chloride, calomel, mercuric compounds or hydroquinone. Consumers are also advised to avoid products with missing ingredient lists, labels written in foreign languages without English translations or products making exaggerated whitening claims.

Health officials indicate that many of the products identified were imported from overseas and sold through third-party online sellers, making enforcement efforts difficult. The agency encourages consumers who experience adverse reactions to contact a health care professional or the Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222, available 24 hours a day. 

The warning is part of the FDA’s ongoing “Skin Facts!” public education campaign, which aims to increase awareness about the risks associated with illegal skin lightening products and help consumers identify potentially dangerous ingredients before purchasing cosmetic products online.

Hair Relaxer Lawsuits

In addition to lightening skin, some women of color also use hair straighteners to better adhere to Western beauty standards. However, these products have been known to contain formaldehyde and other chemicals that have been linked to an increased risk of certain forms of reproductive cancer. As a result, a series of hair relaxer lawsuits have been brought against Dark and Lovely, Just for Me and other popular hair relaxer manufacturers in recent years.

Since the number of hair relaxer lawsuits has grown, all federal cases were centralized in 2023 before U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland in the Northern District of Illinois as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL), streamlining discovery and other pretrial proceedings. Judge Rowland has since been managing coordinated litigation efforts involving claims that chemical hair straightening products increased users’ risk of developing cancer and other reproductive health problems.

The court is currently preparing 32 representative cases for a series of bellwether trials, which are designed to test how juries may respond to common evidence and legal arguments expected to be repeated throughout the litigation. Although the outcomes will apply only to the individual plaintiffs involved, the trials are expected to provide valuable insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the claims and defenses. These findings could help guide future hair relaxer cancer lawsuit settlement discussions.

If the parties are unable to reach a global resolution following the bellwether process and completion of pretrial proceedings, cases that remain unresolved may ultimately be returned to the federal courts where they were originally filed for separate trials.

To stay up to date on this litigation, sign up to receive hair relaxer lawsuit updates sent directly to your inbox.