Dark truth of Fairness & skin creams exposed

Hyderabad: An immediate ban on 300 more skin cream brands by the Indian association of dermatologists, venerologists and leprologists (IADVL) along with its 200-member, so you need to keep a watch while buying your fairness creams.

According to the news published in the Times of India, the demand comes the ban call given by the Drugs General Controller of India (DGCI) on 344 irrational fixed dose combination (FDC) drugs in March which have been failed to include over hundred other ‘dangerous’ fairness creams which contains topical steroids for anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and antifungal use.

The members regret that its ban list in March was not large enough as it figured only 26 FDCs used by around 100 skin cream brands in their letter to Dr G N Singh, DGCI chief, the IADVL.

Dr Rajetha Damisetty, convenor, IADVL said, “But in reality, there are around 100 possible irrational FDC based skin creams (roughly around 300 skin cream brands) that we listed out to the DGCI seeking their ban as they have several such ingredients that can harm fairness conscious Indians. There are also a few rational combinations of steroid creams which we feel the DCGI should regulate via sale,”
Also the city based dermatologists warns the people who uses fairness cream and if any harmful effect like severe stinging sensation, redness and acne. Dr Laxmi Sowjanya, consultant dermatologist, Continental Hospitals said “Since there are many harmful FDC drugs for dermatological use that are still sold over the counter without a ban in place, many patients come to us after they land up with steroid induced fungal infections, which aggravate existing infections,” said Dr Laxmi Sowjanya, consultant dermatologist, Continental Hospitals.

Regardless, what’s particularly that many banned FDC fairness creams are reportedly misleading the drug control authorities by making a reentry in the market.

Dr Rajetha Damisetty, additional medical director of Oliva chain of Advanced Hair and Skin Clinics tells that how the popular skin cream of the Mumbai-based manufacturer replaced the Ofloxacin-ornidazoleclobetasol-terbinafine molecule combination (banned in March, 2016) of its popular skin cream with Clobetasol-neomycinmiconazole combination under a different name three months ago.