Sri Lanka is dealing with a newly emerged health threat driven by the public’s tendency to improve their appearance even at the cost of their health. This issue, which stems from unhealthy skin whitening creams with little to no information about their impacts, attracted widespread attention after news broke about those who experienced health complications as a result of the use of these products. Subsequently, the Sri Lanka College of Dermatologists (SLCD) urged the public to use skincare creams that have been approved by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA). Among these products is an injection called ‘Glutathione’ which has not been approved in any country including Sri Lanka and has the potential to cause severe side effects.

During the past few months, a new scare of skin whitening creams seemed to be growing as various complaints of the quality and side effects of these products became a topic of discussion. On the one hand, their impact on health, especially after the above said revelation, remains unclear, although the available information points towards serious health complications including death. On the other hand, with the lack of availability of essential information such as the dates of manufacture and expiry, ingredients, and manufacturers or importers, it is difficult to get an idea about the quality and trustworthiness of these products, which the general public usually checks when purchasing other products.

However, despite the said lack of information being a giant red flag, many Sri Lankans purchased skin whitening products in the form of creams while some had sought the aid of beauticians to have similar products injected. Certain social media pages that advertised such products do not even have a telephone number or an address, and the only way of contacting the sellers or manufacturers of those products was messaging via those pages. Still, comments sections were filled with recommendations from those who had allegedly used and received good outcomes from those products. There seems to be little to no responsibility in issuing or accepting recommendations.

This irresponsible or ignorant behaviour points to a serious lack of understanding on the part of the public concerning the gravity of unreliable products. The result is many with unknown or harmful substances in or on their bodies, and many more that are willing to give it a try despite health warnings and common sense that one’s health is not to be played with. Educating the public about their responsibility in protecting their body is one of the obvious solutions, although it is arduous and is a long term measure. One area that deserves more attention in these efforts is the fact that cosmetics are not usually subjected to common inspections consumers perform in the market, simply because they are more concerned about what they want to achieve through the application of those products rather than the possible side effects. This attitude has to change. The public should be educated to check the quality of not just food or medicines, but any product that they internally or externally introduce to their bodies.

The authorities too have a duty in supporting the public to be more conscious about the safety of their bodies and traders to be responsible even if what they are selling is technically not medicines. While the authorities have commenced raids, long term measures should include introducing and implementing stricter regulations with a focus on cosmetics. Although the NMRA and the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) are the most relatable regulators that could weigh in on this matter, how empowered they are to take actions against unreliable and unhealthy cosmetics, whether they possess the expertise and facilities to monitor and test these products, what specific laws would apply, and whether the existing laws are adequately strong, are matters that needs to be clarified without delay. 

Awareness raising in this regard has to be effective and target the youth, because social media responses to these products show that it is mostly the country’s youth that are at the risk of being victims of these products. While physical raids continue, social media based awareness programmes should encourage the public to understand that the healthfulness of a product is as important as its results.