Hyderabad: Unchecked, unregulated manufacture and sale of irrational steroid based fairness creams and unscientific combination of corticosteroids have been leading to adverse effects on skin such as redness, inflammation, rashes and discolouration, making it important that these drugs must be sold under prescription only.
Drugs Technical Advisory Board has recommended to Union Health Ministry that steroid and fairness creams containing hydroquinone, which is a bleaching agent, must be put under Schedule H drugs from November 1, 2018 and it will only be sold under prescription.
Hydroquinone is a bleaching agent and is used for skin lightening, as pigment gels and on spots. But Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL) state that this is only a small step towards controlling while there are several other molecules and combination drugs which are illegally being sold in the market.
Most of these are available over the counter for pigmentation, itching, fairness and inflammation of the skin. Dr Ramesh Bhatt, president of IADVL explained: “The menace of steroid-laced creams is very high and it requires a great control. Presently, people are taking over the counter medicines for acne, skin infections, dark circles and also fairness. Irrational combinations that are available in the market make the skin loose, destroy the inner layers due to constant application and damage the skin in the long run.”
IADVL has for long been raising a hue and cry over hard to treat fungal infections that have turned into an epidemic. They have become resistant to all the existing creams, in 10 per cent of the cases, due to overuse and misuse of the creams. It has been found that for skin disorders such as melasma, emergence of dark patches, steroid based creams are being sold from beauty parlours and this has become a major threat.
Dr Bhatt explained: “People need to understand that skin is the outer organ of the body and if damaged, the body will be compromised and it will become open to infection. For skin problems, it is important that long term use of medicines must be under prescription from a qualified doctor only.”
