The use of cosmetic products is not without producing adverse effects . We usually buy one or the other because we have seen an ad that we liked, we have been told about it or we have the recommendation of the seller of the establishment where it is purchased. However, as María Jesús Lucero, professor of Dermopharmacy at the University of Seville, explains, the best place where you can buy a cosmetic is in the pharmacy where the pharmacist, after performing an analysis of the type and condition of the skin, will will advise the most suitable cosmetic products for your skin.
When we talk about adverse effects of a cosmetic we are not talking about the reactions that can appear due to misuse or misuse , it is about those that appear when using the cosmetic as specified in the manufacturer’s box.
“According to current cosmetic product legislation (RE 1223/2009) there are two types of unwanted effects. The undesired one , properly speaking, that corresponds to an adverse reaction for human health attributable to the normal or reasonably foreseeable use of a cosmetic product; and serious unwanted, which is an unwanted effect that produces a temporary or permanent functional disability, disability, hospitalization, congenital anomalies and / or immediate risk for life or death, “explains Lucero, who points out that it is very rare that they occur due to the strict surveillance carried out by the health authorities. However, the professor points out that in the cases in which they occur it may be for different reasons:
- Some cosmetic products do not comply with European regulations and are therefore illegal: in these cases, unwanted effects can occur for multiple reasons, such as containing prohibited substances or restricted substances used in greater concentration or for purposes other than those intended in legislation, or for not having been manufactured in the right conditions and not meeting the established quality and safety standards.
- Some cosmetic products contain substances in higher concentrations than usual: in these cases and despite having been authorized to be placed on the market, it is subsequently observed that they cause adverse effects. In these situations it is possible that unwanted effects appear, serious or not, derived from its use.
Any skin can suffer an adverse reaction. However, sensitive skin or skin dermatology (diagnosed or not) are those that can suffer these effects more easily.
” Most of the adverse effects are minor, transient and do not cause permanent damage. Although, as mentioned before, it is possible that they can be systemic and serious. The non-serious ones are usually observed in the application area and improve after stopping using the cosmetic product. The most frequent symptoms are: sensation of heat, redness , peeling, irritation, presence of pimples or eczema, etc. The most frequent diagnoses are dermatitis and contact urticaria , cosmetic acne, folliculitis and hypo / hyperpigmentation, “explains Lucero.
How and where should we report an adverse effect?
If after using the cosmetic product these symptoms appear and we have verified that they are due to habitual use, both health professionals and consumers can report the problem on the page of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (Aemps) .
In fact, the expert points out that an unwanted effect is advisable to report it, while a serious unwanted effect is mandatory. “For either of the two cases, there is an independent notification form,” he adds, before reiterating the importance of completing them to improve security.
