Products found to contain undeclared medicines
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| Singapore: HSA Alert: “Touch Skin by Dermacare Skin Relief Treatment Cream” detected to contain potent steroid; Consumer experienced severe skin reactions |
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The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is alerting members of the public not to purchase or use “Touch Skin by DermaCare Skin Relief Treatment Cream”. The cream was touted to soothe eczema, chickenpox and insect bites. However, HSA’s test revealed that the cream contained a potent steroid (betamethasone valerate) which should be used under medical supervision. A consumer in her 50s suffered severe skin reactions from the use of the cream.
The consumer had been using “Touch Skin by DermaCare Skin Relief Treatment Cream” for about 8 years for her sensitive facial skin and would experience flare-ups (a sudden worsening of symptoms) whenever she stopped applying the cream. She had purchased the cream from a shop in Orchard Road and continued buying it from the seller via WhatsApp after the physical shop closed in 2020. In May 2024, she saw that HSA alerted the public to a similar product “Special Skin Treatment” found to be adulterated with a steroid and sold on the website touchskin.com.sg. She immediately stopped the use of “Touch Skin by DermaCare Skin Relief Treatment Cream”. Two days after stopping use, she developed red, sensitive and itchy skin on her face and consulted a doctor. The doctor found her skin to be severely inflamed, sensitive to sunlight, and thinned-out with telangiectasia (spider veins) and reported the adverse event to HSA.
HSA's investigations revealed that “Touch Skin by DermaCare Skin Relief Treatment Cream” and “Special Skin Treatment” cream were sold by the same seller. HSA had earlier tested “Special Skin Treatment” to contain a potent steroid (clobetasol propionate). Investigations are ongoing.
Betamethasone valerate is a potent steroid usually prescribed for inflammatory conditions. Creams containing potent steroids for the treatment of skin conditions should only be used under medical supervision. Long-term unsupervised use of such creams can cause hypersensitivity reactions, thinning of the skin and topical steroid withdrawal syndrome (burning, itching and redness following sudden stopping of prolonged use of topical steroids). They may also be absorbed into the body and cause serious adverse effects when applied to large areas of the skin or used over a prolonged period. These adverse effects include high blood pressure, cataracts, muscular and bone disorders, an increased risk of infections and Cushing’s syndrome (a round face or ‘moon face’ appearance and upper body obesity with thin limbs).
Please refer to the following website in HSA for details:
http://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/press-release/hsa-alert-touch-skin-by-dermacare-skin-relief-treatment-cream
In Hong Kong, the above product is not a registered pharmaceutical product. Related news was previously issued by HSA, and was posted on the Drug Office website on 4 May 2024.
Ends/Monday, Aug 26, 2024
Issued at HKT 17:00
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