By Claire
Duffin, 07 Jul 2013
A chemical found in everyday cosmetics and household cleaning products
may be responsible for an “epidemic” of painful skin allergies, doctors have
warned.
The preservative – known as MI – is used in a wide range of shampoos,
moisturizers and shower gels as well as make-up and baby wipes. MI, which is
short for methylisothiazolinone, is a preservative and it is added to products
to prevent unwanted growth of bacteria and yeasts. But dermatologists warn
people are being exposed too much higher doses than before, leading to a steep
rise in allergies known as contact dermatitis where the skin becomes red and
itchy and can sting and blister.
Experts say the chemical is second only to nickel in causing contact
allergies. One in 12 adults and one in five children in the UK now have eczema,
of which contact dermatitis is one of the most common types.
MI, which is short for methylisothiazolinone, is a preservative which
is also found in paint. It is added to products to prevent unwanted growth of
bacteria and yeasts. Well-known products that contain MI found on sale in shops
included Nivea body lotion, Wet Ones and Boots men's face wash.
The substance is safe and non-toxic but European regulations now permit
stronger concentrations than previously allowed. Dr John McFadden, consultant
dermatologist at St John’s Institute of Dermatology in London, said: “We are in
the midst of an outbreak of allergy to a preservative which we have not seen
before in terms of scale in our lifetime.
“Many of our patients have suffered acute dermatitis with redness and
swelling of the face. I would ask the cosmetics industry not to wait for
legislation but to get on and address the problem before the situation gets
worse.” The chemical was previously mixed with another preservative,
Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) in a three-to-one ratio.
But concerns about MCI causing allergies meant some manufacturers started
using MI as a single agent. Used alone, it has been included at a much higher
concentration. When the two compounds were used, MI it was found in
concentrations of around four parts per million (ppm). But on its own a level
of up to 100ppm, a 25-fold increase, is allowed under European regulations
introduced in 2005.
Experts say that since its concentration in products increased there
has been a serious rise in cases of contact dermatitis, particularly in the
last two years. They believe there is a link. The doctors will present their
findings at the British Association of Dermatologists conference in Liverpool
this week when they will call for use of the chemical to be re-evaluated.
Already, the European Society of Contact Dermatitis (ESCD) has written to
the European Commission calling for an investigation into what levels are safe.
In the letter sent in January, Margarida Gonçalo, the president of the ESCD,
said: “This new epidemic of allergic contact dermatitis from isothiazolinones
is causing harm to European citizens; urgent action is required.”
Experts say incidents of allergies are occurring faster than they did
to methyldibromo glutaronitrile, another preservative that was banned from use
in cosmetics in 2005 after it was linked to an increase in eczema cases.
They believe the industry is aware of the link to contact allergies and
some manufacturers have been quietly removing MI in the last six months. Dr Ian
White, a consultant dermatologist, at the St John’s Institute of Dermatology,
said: “Bluntly, I think the European Commission has been negligent over this,
they have had warning after warning. If it was food there would have been
action.”
Dr Chris Flower, director general of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and
Perfumery Association, the UK cosmetic trade association, said: “Cosmetic
products are carefully made to ensure that they withstand normal use and this
will generally include preservatives to prevent contamination by microorganisms
and so keep the consumer safe.”
He added: “Human safety is the cosmetic industry’s number one priority;
in fact it is the law. Every cosmetic product must undergo a rigorous safety
assessment before it is placed on the market. The assessment covers all of the
ingredients, the final product, how and where the product is to be used, how
often and by whom and must be carried out by qualified assessors.”
A spokesman for Boots said the company would carefully assess the findings.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10164452/Warning-over-epidemic-of-skin-allergies-from-chemical-in-cosmetics-and-household-products.html
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