Skin Diseases up by 20pc Spurious cosmetics wreck havoc on women’s skin

MN Report

KARACHI- Prominent dermatologist Dr Liaquat Ali Khan has said that spurious and inferior quality cosmetics products are wrecking havoc and it could be gauged from the fact that skin and hair diseases among women and men have increased by around 20 per cent.

Dr Liaquat, who is associated with Sindh Institute of Skin Diseases (SISD), Karachi, said that owners of cosmetics shops are minting money by selling spurious and non-recommended cosmetics, particularly bleaching products and ointments to women of different ages. 

He regretted that profiteers are importing inferior quality cosmetic products from neighbouring countries without realising their side-effects on the skin of those using them.

Highlighting the hazards of spurious cosmetics products, he said that frequent use of these products which contain chemicals, hydro-contains, steroids for quick advantages, generally causes several types of skin diseases, infections and other skin problems.

“Beauty parlours which have sprung up in every nook and cranny of the metropolis are offering instant fairness packages to women through bleaching, mask and other facilities without having any knowledge about hazards of such spurious cosmetic products on the skins of their clients,” he added.

Deploring that unbranded and spurious cosmetic products such as soaps, henna, fairness creams, shaving creams, lotions, shampoo and other products are easily available in cosmetic shops, he said that owners of these cosmetic shops can earn profit ranging between 200pc to 300pc as compared to certified and branded products which fetch 10pc profit. Resultantly, shopkeepers prefer to sell non-certified and unbranded cosmetic products, he opined.

At the outset, Dr Liaquat said that since the cosmetology is the subject of dermatology women should consult with specialist doctors before applying any cosmetic product so as to save them from becoming victim of spurious and inferior quality cosmetics.