A California House committee has voted against introducing a bill that would ban the sale of anti-aging skin care products such as retinol, glycolic acid and ascorbic acid to children under 13. The bill was in response to the “Sephora Kids” epidemic, which has caused concern among dermatologists.
While the ingredients used in these products can help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, the bill’s proponents argue that the products can cause “skin irritation, including redness, itching, swelling, dryness and peeling,” and lead to topical dermatitis or eczema.
The Cleveland Clinic notes that these symptoms are generally temporary.
Dermatologist Dr. Michael Nazareth told Scripps News Buffalo that there are pros and cons to the Sephora kids’ trend: It’s good that young people are concerned about their skin health, but that concern comes with risks, he said.
“Prepubertal children’s skin is a little more textured and doesn’t have the sebaceous glands or other structures that support these products, so these products can dry out, irritate, and cause some damage to the skin.” he said.
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The bill, introduced by Rep. Alex Lee, would also ban the use of prepaid credit cards to purchase products online and require age verification.
“Anti-aging products containing powerful active ingredients like retinol have become much more available in recent years,” says Lee. “They’re readily available in retail stores, and on social media, you’ll even see videos of children as young as 7 using anti-aging serums. The industry itself also believes that children should not use these powerful products. However, America’s multi-billion dollar beauty industry has not taken any meaningful action to address this problem, and companies are unbeknownst to children. They make money by purchasing and using products that are not meant for them.”
The Personal Care Products Council was among the groups that opposed the bill.
“Protecting preschoolers from the pressures of social media and the inappropriate use of cosmetics is extremely important to our member companies. This bill provides no such safeguards,” the Personal Care Products Council said. said in a statement. “AB 2491 is a hastily drafted attempt to use legislative power to stop social media trends.” All ingredients covered by this bill are safe when used at appropriate ages and as directed. . In addition to checking product ingredients at every sale, the bill would require cashiers to check whether a product is advertised as anti-aging and also require them to verify a customer’s age at checkout. It will be. ”
Dr. Nazareth offered advice to children and parents looking for skin care products.
“There are age-appropriate moisturizing products out there, there are sunscreens, makeup with a little tint, anything you want to use that’s completely safe. I don’t have a problem with that. We just want people to do what’s appropriate for their age, their skin,” Nazareth told Scripps News Buffalo.
