Situation and Management of Cosmetic Safety in Sukhothai Province

Abstract

This survey research aimed to study the situation and management of cosmetic safety in Sukhothai Province which data was collected during 1 October 2016 to 30 July 2017. The investigating of all 116 cosmetic sellers and beauty shops in Sukhothai Province and the examination of 13,933 samples of cosmetics sold in Sukhothai were performed. The evaluation of cosmetics was based on a list of prohibited cosmetics as stated in the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health B.E. 2559. Their labels were examined according to the Cosmetic Act B.E. 2558, Section 22. A purposive sampling method was employed to select the 27 samples from the above unlawful cosmetics which each 3 samples from each district in Sukhothai. They were examined using the primary test kit for the prohibited substances and their results were confirmed by the laboratory of the Regional Medical Sciences Center II Phitsanulok. Frequency and percentage were the statistics used to analyze the data. The results showed that there were 49 shops (42.24%) those did not meet the standard criteria; 1 shop (0.86%) with prohibited cosmetics, 40 shops (34.48%) with incorrect cosmetic labels and the other 8 shops (6.90%) with both prohibited cosmetics and incorrect labels. It was also found that 275 samples (1.97%) did not follow the standard criteria. The 257 samples had incorrect labels (93.45%), and 18 samples were prohibited to sell as stated in the relevance Notification of the Ministry of Public Health.  Among the selected 27 cosmetics, 18 samples (66.67%) were found with the prohibited substances. The 12 samples (44.44%) contained mercury compound, 4 samples (14.82%) contained hydroquinone and 2 samples (7.41%) contained Vitamin A acid. Such 18 samples were confirmed about the test results of prohibited substances. It was found that 9 samples (33.33%) contained the mercury compound. Therefore, the Provincial Health Office should cooperate with the local organizations and communities to monitor for the unsafe and dangerous cosmetics; and should provide the knowledge about cosmetics to the public to ensure their safety on using cosmetics.