FDA Warns Against Buying, Using Chemical Peel Skin Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in White Oak, Md., on June 5, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 30 warned people not to buy and use chemical peel skin products unless they receive supervision from a dermatologist or another licensed practitioner.

Chemical skin peel products can be found in various stores and online. They are marketed as products to fight acne, wrinkles, and other issues.

None of the products are approved by the FDA and many contain ingredients in concentrations “that are too high to be used safely at home” without supervision from an expert, the FDA said in an alert.

Using the products can lead to serious injury from chemical burns, according to the regulatory agency.

“The concentration, number of applications, and length of time a chemical peel product is left on the skin all influence how deeply it can penetrate skin layers and potentially lead to chemical burns,” it stated. “These products remove layers of skin to varying depths and may cause severe chemical burns, pain, swelling, infection, skin color changes, and disfiguring scars. These injuries may even require emergency care or specialty care from a dermatologist or surgeon.”

Health care professionals and people using the products are being told to report problems stemming from their use to the FDA.

Warning Letters

FDA officials recently told seven companies, including Amazon and Walmart, to stop selling chemical peel skin products.

Amazon, for instance, was selling a product that claims to reduce acne and dark spots.

Walmart was selling a product that is promoted as clearing acne and scars and removing dead skin cells.

The products are not recognized as safe or effective and selling them puts the companies in violation of federal law, the FDA told the firms in warning letters.

“Failure to adequately address this matter may result in legal action including, without limitation, seizure and/or injunction,” the FDA said in the missives.

“We are committed to offering high-quality products and require that products offered for sale by third-party sellers on our marketplace meet FDA regulatory requirements. As soon as we were made aware, we removed the products and terminated the seller,” a Walmart spokeswoman told The Epoch Times via email.

Inquiries to Amazon, Matte Beauty, Skin Beauty Solutions, and RePare Skincare were not returned. An email to ISIS.GOLD bounced back.

The FDA has the power to regulate drugs under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.