Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency) ordered, this Monday (16), the recall of Impala gel nail polishes, manufactured by the company Laboratório Avamiller de Cosméticos LTDA.
The was published in the Official Gazette of the Union, which explained that these nail polishes have in their formulation INCI Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide (TPO).
According to Anvisa, all batches of these products must be collected: Plus Gel Enamel Impala Gel, Enamel Gel Impala Gel Plus, Gel Plus Impala Enamel Gel, Enamel Gel Plus Impala and Top Coat Gel Impala Gel Plus Clear.
What is TPO and what is the health risk?
TPO is a banned substance in cosmetics in Brazil. It may be present in products used to make gel or artificial nails, which need to be exposed to ultraviolet (UV) or LED light.
The chemical is used to quickly dry enamel, and is known to be efficient in thick layers of enamel. In other words, it is used as the “engine” for the gel to harden faster under the UV or LED cabin.
The ban on the use of these chemical substances in personal hygiene products, cosmetics and perfumes aims, according to the agency, to protect the health of the population against reproductive problems.
TPO has been classified as toxic for reproduction and may harm fertility and embryonic development.
According to dermatologist Mariana Hafner, from Einstein Hospital Israelita, this indicates a presumed risk to human health, although such effects have not yet been proven in clinical studies.
“The research on rodents was carried out with higher dosages and prolonged periods of exposure to these substances, unlike what happens with humans in their routine. Therefore, more work is needed to confirm any direct relationship between exposure to these substances and damage to health, but Anvisa chose to act preventively in the face of these possible risks”, analyzes Hafner in .
According to dermatologist Glauce Eiko, from the Brazilian Society of Dermatology-Regional São Paulo (SBD), in small quantities or sporadic use of nail polish with this substance, the risk is low.
“However, chronic exposure, especially that which happens to professionals who deal with these products frequently, can lead to cumulative effects on the body, increasing the risk of cell mutations, which increase the likelihood of cancer, and affecting the hormonal system, damaging fertility”, warns the Einstein Agency.
A CNN Brazil Try contacting Impala. The space remains open.
*With information from Julia Naspolini and Julia Farias, both from CNN Brasil, and Thais Szegö, from Agência Einstein
