SINGAPORE, Dec 22 — A four-year-old child was taken to hospital after using a skin product supposed to treat rashes, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said today.
Warning against its use, HSA said that the cream — known as Tao Ju Hui Yi Mei Li Shang Kou Hu Li Ruan Gao (淘聚汇益美丽伤口护理软膏) — had caused the child to suffer “serious adverse effects”.
The four-year-old had to seek treatment for upper respiratory tract infection and was found to have symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome — a serious medical condition caused by prolonged use of steroids — such as a “moon” face, excessive hair growth on the body and thinning of skin.
It was marketed on online shopping sites as a baby cream containing ingredients that “cannot be absorbed by the body” and that the ingredients “have no medicinal effects”.
What the authority detected was that there were four potent medicinal ingredients including two steroids — clobetasol propionate and dexamethasone — after its analysis of the cream.
An anti-fungal substance known as ketoconazole and an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections known as chloramphenicol were the other two medicinal ingredients that turned up during the analysis.
Antibiotics are prohibited in skincare cosmetic products and should be used only under medical supervision.
HSA said: “These ingredients can pose serious health risks, especially in infants and children, if used without medical supervision.”
The child’s parents had bought the product from a peddler in Singapore at a makeshift stall in Eunos and had been using it on the child regularly for rash over the past four months, HSA added.
The cream is also sold by shopping sites such as Shopee and Lazada, as well as on Facebook and a website named “Feili Health House”. On these sites, the information stated was that it is to be “used for the care of small wounds, cuts and abrasion” and “acts as a physical barrier by forming a protective layer on the wound surface”.
Investigations into the Feili Health House website are ongoing and HSA has worked with the administrators of these e-retailers to remove the listings.
The makeshift stall in Eunos is no longer in operation, HSA said.
TODAY found no listings of the product on Shopee and Lazada as of 5pm on Thursday.
Anyone who has used the cream or has used it on other individuals is advised to see a doctor or take the person for a medical review as soon as possible.
HSA said that to suddenly stop using the cream without medical supervision may result in the worsening of underlying skin conditions and other serious withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, confusion and low blood pressure.
It urged consumers to be cautious when buying products for use on babies and children because they are more likely to suffer from serious and bad effects, and to consult a doctor if prolonged use of such products are required.
Earlier this year, the authority had detected potent ingredients including steroids in two topical products marketed for young children, with one of them called Star Cream, which led to steroid toxicity in a four-month-old baby.
Sellers and suppliers of the cream in the latest case must stop selling them immediately, HSA said, adding that it will not hesitate to take enforcement actions against anyone who sells or supplies products found to be adulterated with potent medicinal ingredients.
Sellers and suppliers found guilty of selling the product can be jailed for up to three years or fined up to S$100,000, or both.
