Cosmetics adverts making exaggerated claims could potentially threaten users due to their health risks.
Misleading cosmetics adverts rampant in HCMC
Firms are promoting their products using dubious medical evidence, including conferences as cover to advertise their products in hospitals or on TV or newspapers. The HCMC Department of Health (DOH) recently discovered and banned several conferences from advertising cosmetics.
An example is a cosmetics company in Phu Nhuan District. The company imported products from Malaysia and asked to hold a conference at a maternity hospital.
They reported to the DOH that the products included massage oil, offering a type of skin care but during the conference, the company widened their claim, saying their oil could relieve cramps, body ache and arthritic pain, improve blood circulation and even cure flatulence. The DOH also found that the company advertised that the product included extra chemicals that had not been recorded in their reports.
Another company advertised their feminine hygiene product could heal wounds, disinfect, act as an anti-inflammatory and tighten vaginal muscles. Meanwhile coconut oil could improve the health of the users hair. Another company said its goods could treat stretch marks, remove dead cells, slow the aging process and even reduce the chances of vagina tearing.
The officers of DOH said these types of claims could only be made by real medicines, not cosmetics and blocked the product advertisements.
The DOH even received an application for Pure Fruit Body Cream on Tay Ninh TV Station that had an actress declaring at the end, "Hands are clean, legs are clean, face is clean, back is clean, and the belly is clean."
When the officer asked for documents related to the cream's uses, the company said they didn't have the relevant information and dropped the commercial.
"They give us a bunch of products with a bunch of uses but have nothing to back them up. And these are companies who come to register with us. It's very difficult to detect wrongful advertising by other companies." Do Ngoc Dung, Deputy Head of the Pharmaceutical Control Division under the DOH said.
Exaggerated claims can be found in cosmetic machine adverts. The acne vacuum extractor or other types of face washing machines are said to clean the pores, remove toxins that accumulate under the skin, dust acne, dead cells and reduce wrinkles and freckles. Some machines are declared to have immediate effects and whiten the skin.
Doctor Phan Hiep Loi of Hiep Loi Cosmetic Surgery Hospital said good skin care required time and effort. Customers should be careful and should not place high hopes in cosmetic products.
The script of the Pure Fruit advertisement