California Health Officials Urge Residents to Stop Using Imported Skin Creams Similar to One That Caused Mercury Poisoning

The Sacramento County Department of Health Services recently released information about a local woman that was hospitalized in a semi-comatose state after using a skin cream tainted with methylmercury that was meant to lighten skin color or remove spots and wrinkles. It is the first known case of methylmercury poisoning of this type linked to a skin cream in the United States. The woman obtained the skin cream through an informal network that was imported from Mexico.

The agency also reported that over the last nine years, there have been over 60 poisonings linked to foreign brands, unlabeled, and/or homemade skin creams that contained the less toxic form of mercury, mercurous chloride or calomel in California. Residents are advised to avoid handmade or unlabeled creams and other brand-name containers that are not sealed when purchased. Unsealed containers could have been tampered with and may contain mercury. The creams are usually sold in small stores, swap meets, by individuals or on the internet. Some of the products contain more than 200,000 times the legal limit of mercury.

“California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, better known by the name Prop 65, lists mercury and mercury compounds as being known to cause developmental toxicity, and methylmercury and methylmercury compounds as known to cause developmental toxicity and cancer,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “Anyone with these creams should stop using them and get a blood and urine test from their doctor or care provider according to the Sacramento County Department of Health Services. At LA Testing, we offer consumer product and environmental testing services for mercury and methylmercury. These tests are available to importers, retailers, consumers, health professionals and public agencies.”

To learn more about mercury, methylmercury or other product, environmental, health and safety testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email  info@LATesting.com  or call (800) 755-1794.


About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego and Ontario.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

LA Testing

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail