Lead Found in Halloween Face Paint

(MYFOX NATIONAL) - A study of popular face paints used for Halloween costumes has found that some may be contaminated with lead.

The report, issued by The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics , used an independent laboratory to test 10 face paints easily available in stores and on the Internet, according to the New York Daily News .

Traces of lead, nickel, cobalt and chromium were found in some of the products.

"All 10 face paint products tested contained lead, and six out of 10 had known skin allergens, including nickel, cobalt or chromium, at levels above recommendations of industry studies," said Stacey Malkan, a co-author of the report.

Exposure to lead is known to cause permanent brain damage, particularly if children are exposed in the womb or during the first six years of life, and the CDC says that lead exposure can cause developmental problems ranging from learning disabilities to violent tendencies.

The new report entitled "Pretty Scary: Could Halloween Face Paint Cause Lifelong Health Problems?" ( download the PDF of the entire report ) also looked at labeling problems. Researchers found that some products claimed to be hypoallergenic when they were not. One product "was advertised on the package as nontoxic and hypoallergenic, [and] had some of the highest levels of nickel, cobalt and lead," Malkan told HealthDaily .

While prolonged exposure to lead is a danger, one expert said the report shouldn't alter your Halloween plans.

Using the face paint just once a year "is probably not going to do anything at all [healthwise]," contended Dr. Dennis Woo, former chair of pediatrics at Santa Monica-UCLA and Orthopaedic Hospital in Santa Monica, Calif. Woo added that "there's no reason these heavy metals need to be in cosmetics."

The agency representing the cosmetics industry, The Personal Care Products Council, released a statement that reads in part, "...The trace levels of naturally occurring heavy metals reportedly found in the products are well below the allowable levels set by FDA for approved colors and do not present a safety concern."

If you do you use face paints this Halloween, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises that parents:

• Follow directions carefully, including instructions not to use the products around the eyes and mouth.
• If the face paint smells bad, don't use it as it could be contaminated.
• Consider a test of the face paint a few days before Halloween to be sure your child doesn't get an allergic reaction to it.

Earlier this year, a face paint from China was recalled by the FDA when some children had rashes and itching; the FDA later found microbial contamination in the product.