Warning on darker side of skin-lightener

07 August 2016 - 02:00 By ARON HYMAN

Khanyi Mbau may be risking her health for a lighter skin. University of Cape Town experts urged the Medicines Control Council to conduct an "urgent" investigation of intravenous skin-lightening treatment.They say there are no regulations to govern the treatment - praised by TV personality and actress Mbau for lightening "in between my toes, my knuckles, even my bum crack" - and no scientific tests of its safety.UCT researchers say that up to 35% of South African women lighten their skin, and intravenous drips containing the antioxidant that does the work (glutathione) are becoming increasingly popular.story_article_left1The drug reduces the side-effects of chemotherapy.Registrar of medicines Joey Gouws said glutathione was not registered with the MCC for cosmetic purposes."Schedule 3 substances may only be prescribed and administered by practitioners ... registered in terms of the Health Professions Act," he said."The MCC therefore warns against this practice, as the council has not evaluated any data regarding the safety, efficacy or quality ... of this substance for purposes of skin lightening."All cosmetics claiming to be skin lighteners, whiteners or bleaches are prohibited under the Food Stuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act."Treatments, priced at R900 to R1,600 depending on one's weight, are given twice a week for a month, then weekly until the desired skin pigment is achieved and then monthly for maintenance.Nonhlanhla Khumalo, head of dermatology at UCT, led the team that warns in the latest South African Medical Journal of a lack of knowledge about the long-term effects of intravenous glutathione."The only reliable safety data [involve] sporadic use during chemotherapy cycles, for a few weeks at most," write Khumalo and colleagues Lester Davids and Jennifer van Wyk."Of major concern are potentially severe complications of IV administration of glutathione by people with no health qualifications," they write.The article warns that in replacing brown melanin with red melanin, glutathione "may increase the risk of sun-induced skin cancers in previously protected individuals".Khumalo said a drug might seem to have a desirable short-term effect but "in the long term it may cause terrible, irreversible side-effects".mini_story_image_vright1"To protect people from unknown and unexpected harm we require properly conducted clinical studies where the drug, its dose and length of treatment are strictly correlated with blood tests that monitor its breakdown products and effects on organs such as the kidney and the liver," she said.Khumalo said the US Food and Drug Administration warned against intravenous glutathione. "Who is actually giving the IV infusion - do they have the licence to do this?"Is the facility and equipment used of an acceptable medical care standard?"As an African woman, I have my own strong views, but as an academic doctor I warn everyone who is doing this to stop. Why expose yourself to potential dangers of intravenous infusions when you are healthy?"Mbau was criticised last year when she posted before and after pictures on Instagram, showing the difference the glutathione treatment had made.But she said: "Most ladies acting all unimpressed on my gram looking at changes. Beauty is a choice we all have ... oh, and the size of the wallet, that is."Doctors who administer the glutathione drip at private clinics, mainly in Johannesburg and Cape Town, insist it is safe. Dr Alistair McAlpine of Johannesburg's Lightsculpt Aesthetic Clinic said the treatment was "incredibly safe and there are no known side-effects due to glutathione".Dr Minoka Nadesan, director of aesthetics at NoviSkin in Waterkloof, Pretoria, said: "Glutathione is not harmful, but you can't go to any doctor and say I want a glutathione IV. The problem comes in where doctors are going to pump people with IVs, not knowing the dilution ratios ... That's when it starts getting dangerous."..

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