India’s enduring obsession with fair skin has long fuelled a lucrative market for skin-lightening products, with advertisements shifting from the language of “fairness” to promises of “glow,” “brightening” and “radiance” without altering the underlying appeal of a lighter complexion. That’s why unscrupulous manufacturers have ended up using heavy metals in unsafe amounts because these suppress melanin or the dark pigment, producing a lighter complexion. Some product makers have now been booked by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safety violations.The regulator has flagged five cosmetic products for containing mercury and lead beyond permissible limits and warned consumers against their use. The agency has also launched a criminal investigation into their manufacture and sale after laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of excessive heavy metals.Also Read: ‘Is it normal to have a HbA1c of 13 for a recently diagnosed type 1 diabetic?’The products identified by the FDA include Goree Beauty Cream, Goree Beauty Whitening Body Lotion, Goree Whitening Soap, Face Fresh Gold Plus (Beauty Cream and Beauty Serum) and Golden Star Beauty Cream. According to the FDA’s findings, these products did not mention mandatory particulars such as manufacturing and expiry dates. The products, priced between Rs 30 for soaps and Rs 160 to Rs 499 for creams and lotions, are widely available through informal retail channels and online platforms despite lacking complete regulatory information.“Heavy metals, particularly mercury, have historically been used in some skin-lightening creams. While their use is banned or tightly regulated in many countries due to serious health risks, they continue to surface in some unregulated, counterfeit and illegally marketed products,” says a senior FDA official. Although they can cause irreversible damage to the kidneys, brain and skin, questionable skin-lightening products continue to find millions of buyers through social media, influencers and online marketplaces.Mercury can be absorbed through the skin and accumulate in the body, particularly in the kidneys and nervous system, increasing the risk of kidney damage or kidney failure, neurological disorders, tremors, memory impairment and skin problems following prolonged use. Lead exposure, meanwhile, can also have harmful effects on multiple organs.Why is mercury added to fairness creams?The answer lies in the chemistry of skin colour. Melanin, the pigment responsible for skin colour, also protects the skin from ultraviolet radiation. Mercury salts inhibit the enzyme involved in melanin production, reducing pigmentation and creating the appearance of lighter skin within days. “Mercury is added illegally because it blocks melanin production and gives a quick fairness effect, often within 10 to 15 days,” says Dr Tushar Palve, medical superintendent of the government-run Cama and Albless Hospital, Mumbai. It is precisely this rapid effect that makes mercury attractive to illegal cosmetic manufacturers.Story continues below this adAlso Read: A viral Bell’s Palsy claim has parents worried—Here’s what an neurologist saysAccording to a senior Maharashtra FDA official, the permissible mercury limit in cosmetics is one part per million (ppm). Laboratory analysis of the products seized by the FDA found mercury concentrations 18 to 20 times higher than the permissible limit, raising serious concerns about long-term exposure.How does mercury affect your health?Doctors say the kidneys are among the organs most vulnerable to mercury toxicity because they filter waste from the bloodstream. Mercury accumulates in kidney tissue, gradually damaging its filtering units. What makes the problem particularly dangerous is that early kidney disease often produces few or no symptoms.“If the mercury content is extremely high, kidney damage may begin within 10 to 12 days. Even if the quantity is lower, using such creams every day for a few months can gradually damage the kidneys and other organs. Sometimes symptoms do not appear for years, so patients continue using the toxic cream. They may show signs only when they have reached the stage of requiring dialysis,” says Dr Palve. He referred to a case in Nagpur where 18 women reportedly developed kidney disease linked to prolonged use of Goree Beauty Cream.Story continues below this adMercury is a potent neurotoxin capable of affecting the brain and nervous system. So prolonged exposure may lead to tremors, memory loss, irritability, anxiety, depression, insomnia and poor concentration. In severe cases, it may also affect hearing and vision.How does lead induce toxicity?Lead, another heavy metal detected in the products, poses additional concerns. Unlike mercury, which has been deliberately used in some skin-lightening creams to inhibit melanin production, lead has no recognised skin-lightening function. Its presence in fairness creams is usually the result of contaminated raw materials, poor manufacturing practices or illegal production, making it a marker of unsafe cosmetics rather than an active ingredient.Also Read: ‘Why is my cholesterol still high even though I have followed a vegetarian diet?’“There is no safe level of lead exposure,” Dr Palve says, noting that combined exposure to mercury and lead increases the overall health risk. Lead accumulates in the body and can damage the brain and nervous system, kidneys, blood-forming organs (causing anaemia) and the reproductive system.Story continues below this adThe damage begins with the skinIronically, products marketed to improve appearance may first damage the skin they are meant to beautify. Mercury-containing creams may cause persistent rashes, acne, abnormal pigmentation, skin discoloration and increased sensitivity. Prolonged exposure may thin the skin and make it more vulnerable to injury.“Persistent pigmentation should be evaluated by a qualified dermatologist because different pigmentary disorders require different treatments. Daily sunscreen use, a proper diagnosis and evidence-based therapy are far safer than unsupervised use of potent depigmenting creams. The goal should always be healthy skin rather than lighter skin,” says Dr Usha N. Khemani, associate professor in the Department of Dermatology at Grant Government Medical College and Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals.According to her, the dermatology outpatient department is seeing increasing numbers of young patients who have experimented with multiple cosmetic products before seeking medical care. “Teenagers, brides-to-be and regular social media users are among those most influenced by online beauty trends. By the time they come to us, their skin is damaged,” she says.Even prescription creams are not meant for prolonged useDoctors emphasise while not every skin-lightening medicine is unsafe, the use of each has a limit. “Hydroquinone remains one of the most effective prescription medicines for melasma, a blotchy skin condition, when used appropriately under medical supervision. However, prolonged unsupervised use can produce a paradoxical condition in which the skin becomes darker instead of lighter,” says Dr Khemani.Story continues below this adAnother concern is the misuse of topical steroid creams, designed to treat inflammatory skin diseases and meant to be used for limited periods. Used continuously for months, they may leave the skin paper-thin, with visible blood vessels, persistent redness, dryness and severe burning. Dr Khemani recalls treating a woman in her early 20s who had used a steroid cream continuously for six months after being advised that it would make her skin glow. “By the time she reached the hospital, her skin had become extremely thin, red and sensitive. Even washing her face with water caused burning. She required months of treatment with moisturisers to repair the damaged skin barrier, gentle cleansers, immunomodulator creams, oral antioxidants and strict sun protection before her skin gradually recovered,” she explains.Why are these products still reaching consumers?The FDA says the answer lies partly in regulatory gaps. Unlike medicines, which are tracked throughout manufacturing and distribution, cosmetics are primarily regulated at the manufacturing stage. According to the FDA official, once illegally manufactured or smuggled products enter the market through unauthorised channels, tracing them becomes significantly more difficult. The products may be sold in neighbourhood cosmetic shops, beauty salons, online marketplaces or through informal retail networks.What should consumers look for?Before buying any cosmetic product, consumers should ensure that it carries complete manufacturer details, manufacturing and expiry dates, batch number and a full list of ingredients.