Many people may be unaware of the lead poisoning risk, in adults and children, from an avoidable source: traditional eye cosmetics containing kohl, kajal, al-kahal, surma, tiro, tozali, or kwalli.
The following information is intended to answer questions people may ask about these products and their dangers:
What are these products made of?
Kohl, kajal, al-Kahal, surma, tiro, tozali, and kwalli often contain high levels of lead. For example, lead, usually in the form of lead sulfide, sometimes accounts for more than half the weight of kohl products. Kohl products may also contain a variety of other materials, such as aluminum, antimony, carbon, iron, and zinc compounds, as well as camphor and menthol. A tiro product linked to lead poisoning in an infant was found to consist of 82.6% lead.
What are the effects of lead poisoning?
The risks associated with exposure to lead are especially serious for children. Among the effects associated with high levels of lead exposure are anemia, kidney problems, and neurological damage that may include seizures, coma, and death. Even at relatively low levels, chronic exposure to lead may lead to learning and behavior problems.
Are kohl and similar products directly linked to increased levels of lead in children?
Yes. FDA is aware of instances of kohl-related lead poisoning in children in the U.S. A number of studies have shown that children exposed to kohl and similar products have increased levels of lead in their blood.
How are children exposed to kohl and similar products?
In some cultures, it is common for parents to apply these products to the eyes of infants and children. Infants of mothers who use these products sometimes have elevated levels of lead in their blood. Also, some people traditionally paint a newborn’s umbilical stump with kohl powder, supposedly for medicinal reasons.
Unlike some sources of exposure to lead, this one is easily avoidable by not using kohl and similar products on your children or yourself, and keeping them out of your home.
If someone in my family has been exposed to one of these products, what should I do?
Here are two important steps to take against exposure to kohl and similar products:
- Stop using the product immediately and be especially careful to protect children from further exposure.
- Ask a healthcare provider to test children as well as pregnant or nursing women for lead poisoning if they have used the product.
Where do these products come from?
These products have been popular in much of the world since ancient times, particularly in parts of Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan, and India. Kohl and similar products now sometimes appear in specialty markets catering to individuals from the above regions. More recently, tiro, tozali, and kwalli products have come from Nigeria. These products have been sold by mail order on some websites.