City health officials on Friday warned people not to use certain skin lightening creams from Pakistan and a pair of soaps from Spain — saying they contained as much as 14,000 times the level of toxic mercury allowed in cosmetics.
“Exposure to mercury can cause serious and life-threatening health problems, including damage to the nervous system and kidneys. In pregnant women, mercury poisoning can also affect the fetus and increase the risk of miscarriage,” the city’s health department said in a statement. The department also alerted health care providers to advise patients to not use the products.
Officials said people should never use a product that lists mercury as an ingredient.
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