title: Additional comments to "Potential health consequences of applying mercury-containing skin-lightening creams during pregnancy and lactation periods".
abstract: Exposure through human skin from application of skin lightening creams and soaps (SLCS) based on mercury salts has often escaped attention of environmental scientists. The skin absorption of Hg from an adult on a daily basis in this type of exposure, depending on the product used, can be higher than Hg originated from dental amalgam filling, Thimerosal-containing flu vaccine, and fish-methylmercury. Hg from SLCS is retained more in brain of albino than pigmented animals. Therefore, environmental Hg scientists should be aware of this important but often neglected source of low-dose Hg exposure during pregnancy and lactation when measuring adverse health effects on child growth and development.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília 70919-970, DF, C.P. 04322, Brazil. Electronic address: jg.dorea@gmail.com.
authors.forename: José G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Dórea
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation; D008628:Mercury; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Cosmetics; Lactation; Melanin; Mercury; Pregnancy; Soaps