Take a minute and consider all the cosmetic products you roll, rub, brush and apply on or into your skin. You probably assume these products are completely safe, considering the fact that they are for sale and the directions might even say to “apply liberally” or “use then repeat,” and perhaps there’s even a note that the product is “safe for everyday use.”
Unfortunately, too many consumers learn the hard way that just because these products claim to be safe does not mean that they are. You might be surprised to learn that in the U.S., cosmetics do not need to approval by the Food and Drug Administration unless they include additives or restricted ingredients.
Simply put, the cosmetics you use on a regular basis could contain dangerous substances that may cause serious damage to your health.
Unfortunately, without testing by the FDA, products that contain potentially harmful substances remain on the market. While many of them don’t necessarily result in serious side effects right away, some can and do cause long-term damage like hair loss, skin irritation, allergic reactions and even cancer thanks to potentially harmful – yet widely used – ingredients like lead acetate and formaldehyde.
Other countries, including those in the European Union, have far more rigid procedures in place for testing cosmetics and ensuring they do not contain harmful chemicals in dangerous concentrations. Currently, the U.S. is much further behind in this regard.
In order to get the U.S. in a better position with regard to making sure cosmetic products are safer, a bill was recently proposed that would require the FDA to evaluate ingredients in cosmetics and give the agency more power to regulate these products. Whether the bill will be approved or not remains to be seen.
What this means for our readers right here in New York is that you could very well be using an unsafe product, and you could be using it every day. In the event that you have developed certain side effects or health problems that might be linked to the dangerous ingredients in your cosmetics, you could have grounds to pursue a product liability claim in court. Filing a claim could help you collect the compensation you deserve and send a message to cosmetics companies that they are accountable for manufacturing and selling unsafe products.
