This cream is causing increase in kidney problems in India

New Delhi: Kidney problems are on the rise in India due to the use of skin lightening creams, according to a new study. Driven by society’s obsession with fair skin, skin lightening creams have a lucrative market in India. . However, the high amount of mercury in these creams is known to harm the kidneys. A study published in the medical journal Kidney International has revealed that the increasing use of fairness creams with high mercury content is leading to increasing cases of membranous nephropathy (MN). This is a condition that damages the kidney filters and causes protein leakage.

MN is an autoimmune disease that results in nephrotic syndrome – a kidney disorder that causes the body to excrete too much protein in the urine. “Mercury is absorbed through the skin, and wreaks havoc on the kidney filters, causing nephrotic syndrome. cases,” one of the researchers, Dr. Sajeesh Sivadas, Department of Nephrology, Aster MIMS Hospital, Kottakkal, Kerala, wrote in a post. X.Com.

“Widely available in India’s unregulated markets, these creams promise quick results, but at what cost? Users often describe a disturbing addiction, as discontinuing use leads to even darker skin tone,” he added. The study included 22 cases of MN reported between July 2021 and September 2023. Was investigated.

Patients presented to Aster MIMS Hospital with symptoms that were often subtle with fatigue, mild swelling and increased foaming in the urine. Only three patients had gross swelling, but all had elevated levels of protein in the urine. One patient developed cerebral vein thrombosis, a blood clot in the brain, but kidney function was preserved in all. The findings showed That about 68 percent or 15 out of 22 were positive for neural epidermal growth factor-like 1 protein (NEL-1) – a rare form of MN that is more likely to be associated with malignancy.

Of the 15 patients, 13 admitted to using skin-lightening creams before symptoms began. Of the remainder, one had a history of use of traditional indigenous medicines while the other had no identifiable trigger. .“Most cases resolve upon discontinuing the use of irritant creams. This poses a potential public health risk, and to prevent this threat it is important to spread public awareness about the dangers of using such products and alert health authorities,” the researchers said in the paper.

Dr. Sajeesh also accused social media influencers and actors of “championing these creams” and “perpetuating their use in a billion-dollar industry.” “This is not just a skin care/kidney health issue; This is a public health crisis. And if mercury applied to the skin can cause so much harm, imagine what the consequences would be if it were consumed. The time has come for urgent action to regulate these harmful products and protect public health,” he said.