Recently, a friend told me that after using a cosmetic purchased on behalf of me, it took effect very quickly. I have been using this brand all the time. After using it for several months, the skin condition is OK, but there is a small area in front of my right ear that starts to turn red and itchy. I told her that it may be related to hormones.
As we all know, cosmetics are daily necessities to beautify and protect human skin.
However, do the vast number of friends who use cosmetics really know whether cosmetics have hormones or not?
There should be no hormones in cosmetics.
Qualified cosmetics in our country do not contain hormones, which is stipulated by our laws and regulations.
In the 2007 new edition of “Cosmetics Hygiene Standard”, more than 1,000 banned substances in cosmetics are stipulated, of which glucocorticoid, estrogen, androgen, progesterone and other banned ingredients are clearly pointed out.
You may have questions, since the state does not allow it, why is there always news of illegal hormone addition in cosmetics?
This is related to the action of hormones.
Hormones, especially glucocorticoids, do have a certain whitening effect on skin, and the effect is very fast, ranging from a day or two to a week or so, making the user’s skin white, ruddy and smooth.
Moreover, due to its anti-inflammatory effect, some inflammation on the skin, such as small rashes, will also disappear quickly.
Therefore, some manufacturers will attract consumers to continue to use their products by adding hormones.
Hormones cannot be used continuously.
Hormones have such obvious effects on skin, why is it that the state does not allow them to be used?
Of course, it is because long-term use of hormones may be harmful to the skin.
Hormones are drugs, not skin care products.
If various diseases occur, it is possible and necessary for doctors to let patients use drugs for a short period of time to solve the problem.
But if you apply it every day without control, it is another matter.
There are many kinds of hormones. Glucocorticoids and estrogens are mostly added to cosmetics illegally.
Glucocorticoid
In a short period of time, cosmetics containing hormones can really improve skin conditions, but long-term use of cosmetics containing glucocorticoids may lead to thinning of skin and red blood streaks on the face. If the amount of hormones is large, it is more absorbed into the body through the skin, and there may be acne and edema on the face.
If the hormones in cosmetics have less influence on skin metabolism, the skin will only return to the state before using cosmetics and will not become worse after stopping using cosmetics.
If the hormones in cosmetics have a heavy impact on skin metabolism, rash and skin redness may occur after stopping using cosmetics, and the skin condition is worse than that before using cosmetics, and it is more difficult to cure.
There are also some rare severe adverse reactions that may harm health and lead to irreparable consequences, such as eye complications, osteonecrosis and osteoporosis.
Estrogen
Estrogen can also be absorbed by skin. Cosmetics containing estrogen used for a long time will affect the endocrine system of the body, causing adverse reactions such as irregular menstruation, pigmentation, black spots, skin thinning and atrophy, and at the same time can greatly increase the incidence of breast cancer and hysteromyoma for women.
How to avoid cosmetics containing hormones?
If you want to accurately identify whether cosmetics contain hormones, you need to use relevant experimental equipment, which is inconvenient and less feasible for most consumers.
Here, I’d like to introduce some life experiences to you and avoid buying hormone-containing cosmetics as much as possible:
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Choose cosmetics of regular brands with high market recognition as much as possible. Regular cosmetics will generally be put on record. Before purchasing, everyone will check whether the product has passed the record on the Internet. Enter the website of China Food and Drug Administration and click on the column of “Domestic Non-special Cosmetics Filing” to inquire.
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Go to regular physical stores to buy cosmetics, as far as possible not through purchasing on behalf of others, direct selling and other forms of purchase, as far as possible not to buy in beauty salons, private health care institutions.
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Do not purchase cosmetics with factory name and address, implementation standards and incomplete production dates.
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Do not buy cosmetics with exaggerated advertising words such as [1 day whitening] and [3 days freckle removal].
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If you use a certain cosmetic and find that the skin becomes obviously delicate, white, red, etc. within a few days, suspend the use first, because the rapid effect may be due to hormone effect, further understand the product information, go to a regular hospital to consult a dermatologist, and then decide whether to continue using it.