Adverse Cosmetic Reactions in a Pediatric Population Reported to the Chongqing Drug Administration in China From 2017 to 2021

Abstract:Background: Despite their ubiquitous use and several safety incidents involving cosmetics for children in China, there is little research on adverse reactions to cosmetics in children. Objectives: We assessed the cosmetic adverse reactions (CARs) reports submitted to the Chongqing Drug Administration in China for children, to understand the characteristics of CARs in a pediatric population and determine whether useful insights can be derived. Methods: We extracted the data file of the Chongqing Drug Administration's cosmetic adverse events reporting system from 2017 to 2021, and screened the information of people under the age of 18 years for analysis. Results: A total of 589 children were reported; of them, 475 female children and 114 male children, aged 1–17 years, and 89.6% were diagnosed with cosmetic contact dermatitis. Itching and burning were the most prominent symptoms and accounted for 83.4% and 40.2%, respectively. The most frequently reported clinical sign was erythema (73.3%) followed by papule (37.9%). The face is the most vulnerable location to lesions, accounting for 80.8% of all areas, with girls having a significantly higher rate of facial and scalp damage than boys. The majority of the CARs were reported with cream, lotion, and toner for the skin (45.9%) and facial or body cleansing products (15.4%), and most of these products were purchased from authoritative shops. Conclusion: Although adults are the main group of people who use cosmetics, due to the special physiological structure of children, the safety of children's cosmetics should be given more attention. In addition, pediatricians and dermatologists should be active in submitting reports of adverse cosmetic events and encouraging consumers to do so likewise in situations in which a product adversely affects a child's health.