FDA testing found high mercury levels in a skin-lightening product
FDA laboratory testing found high mercury levels in La Crema De Rebeca. The agency says repeated skin exposure can cause serious, potentially permanent kidney and neurologic harm.
FDA laboratory testing found high mercury levels in La Crema De Rebeca. The agency says repeated skin exposure can cause serious, potentially permanent kidney and neurologic harm.
Why it matters
Mercury was not disclosed on the product label, so a shopper could not identify this risk from the ingredient list.
What we don't know
The warning letter names one product and company. It does not establish that every skin-lightening product contains mercury, and it is not a recall notice.
What to do now
Do not use La Crema De Rebeca. FDA also advises consumers not to use over-the-counter skin-lightening products and to talk with a clinician about treatment options for dark spots or other pigment concerns.
If you have used the named product, bring the product name and a photo of its label to a clinician. The FDA consumer page linked below explains the health concerns and lists products the agency has tested.
What FDA found
FDA said laboratory analysis confirmed high mercury levels in La Crema De Rebeca, a product marketed online for skin treatment and skin lightening. The agency said mercury was not disclosed on the label and described the product as misbranded and an unapproved new drug.
Repeated skin application can allow mercury to enter the bloodstream. FDA lists kidney damage, neurologic damage, and direct skin injury among the possible harms, with heightened risk for children and pregnant individuals.
Keep the scope precise
This is strong evidence about the named product because it rests on FDA laboratory analysis. It is not evidence that every product marketed for hyperpigmentation or every product from a particular community or country contains mercury.
Open the source file
These links support the claims above. Source dates, disclosures and limits are documented in the article and source list.