The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) asked members of the public not to use four skin creams that it said were found to have undeclared potent ingredients.
HAS issued the warning on Monday, after a Malaysian infant, who is almost one-year-old, developed Cushing syndrome after an unlabelled cream from a traditional practitioner was applied on the child to treat diaper rash, while the other three creams were used by the consumer to cure eczema.
In a statement, HSA revealed names of the popular eczema creams as --
D'Splendid Kidzema Cream,
Clair De Lune P. Tuberose Day Cream and
Clair De Lune S. Involcurata Night Cream.
The statement also added that people who used these four creams have witnessed a rapid relief but once they stopped using these products the situation became worse.
Later, when HSA tested these products they found potent medicinal ingredients including steroids, antibiotics and antifungals. They also found that the product used on infant includes betamethasone valerate (a potent steroid) and clotrimazole (an antifungal medicine).
Due to these steroids, that baby girl developed recurrent infections, as it suppressed her immune system and caused poor developmental growth. She had to be admitted to a hospital and given treatment but even to this day she is taken to hospital as outpatient for treatment.
In another case, a mother applied D'Splendid Kidzema Cream to treat her child's eczema. But three days later, when she stopped using it, she noticed that eczema worsened.
It should be noted that this cream is still available on D'Splendid's website, as well as other retail outlets with a label that stated this product provides relief from skin rashes, eczema, haemorrhoids and mosquito bites for babies, as well as children up to 14 years old. But, HAS's test revealed that this product contains ciprofloxacin (an antibiotic), which is a prescription-only medicine and terbinafine (an antifungal medicine), which is not suitable for children under the age of 12.
HSA also detected the company who supplies D'Splendid Kidzema Cream and asked them to stop their sales.
As per HSA, the day cream and night cream tainted with multiple potent ingredients including steroids, antihistamine, antibiotics and antifungal medicines. The local e-commerce platforms which were selling both the creams have been directed to remove the postings and the consumers of these products were advised to see a doctor as soon as possible.
However, people should know that it is illegal to supply adulterated products and if anyone found guilty then they would be liable for a jail term up to three years and/or fined up to $100,000.
