FDA Warns Consumers about Halloween Face Paint and Decorative Contact Lenses

Paul Napoli

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Just in time for Halloween, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued two consumer updates to alert consumers about face paint and decorative contact lens safety.

Novelty makeup, or face paint, is popular during Halloween because it allows better visibility than some masks. The FDA warns that some face paints may cause problems of their own by improper use, contain unapproved color additives or are contaminated with bacteria. In March 2005 and May 2009, the FDA recalled some face paint products due to adverse event reports of skin rash, irritation, itching or minor swelling where the paints were applied.

The FDA has issued the following guidelines regarding novelty makeup:

· Follow all directions carefully, including makeup application and makeup removal directions.
· Do not decorate your face with things that are not intended for your skin.
· If your face paint has a very bad smell, this could be a sign that it is contaminated. Throw it away.
· Keep makeup away from and out of eyes. Some makeup may say on the label that it is not for use near the eyes, even if the label has a picture of people wearing it near their eyes. Even products intended for use near your eyes can sometimes irritate your skin if you use too much.
· Test for allergic reaction by applying a dab of the makeup on your arm a couple days before face application.
· The FDA regulates color additives in novelty makeup. Check the makeup ingredients to the FDA list at http://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry/ColorAdditives/ColorAdditiveInventories/ucm115641.htm. If there is a color in your makeup that is not on this list, the company that made it is not obeying the law. Do not use it.
· FDA approved colors for fluorescent and luminescent colored makeup should never be used near the eyes.

Also popular during Halloween are decorative contact lenses used as costume accessories that temporarily change the eye color. Decorative contact lenses—sometimes called plano, zero-powered, or non-corrective contact lenses—are regulated by the FDA just like corrective lenses. Although it is illegal to market decorative contact lenses as over-the-counter products, the FDA is aware that consumers without valid prescriptions have bought decorative contact lenses from beauty salons, record stores, video stores, flea markets, convenience stores, beach shops and the Internet. Unauthorized contact lenses of all types and improper contact lens use present risks to the eye that include corneal ulcers, corneal abrasion, vision impairment and blindness.

"What troubles us is when they are bought and used without a valid prescription, without the involvement of a qualified eye care professional, or without appropriate follow-up care," says James Saviola, the Ophthalmic and Ear, Nose and Throat Devices network leader in FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "This can lead to significant risks of eye injuries, including blindness."

The FDA has issued the following guidelines regarding decorative lenses:

· Get an eye exam from a licensed eye care professional, even if you feel your vision is perfect.
· Get a valid prescription that includes the brand and lens dimensions.
· Buy the lenses from an eye care professional or from a vendor who requires that you provide prescription information for the lenses.
· Follow directions for cleaning, disinfecting and wearing the lenses, and visit your eye care professional for follow-up eye exams.

Consumers should notify the FDA if they have an adverse reaction to novelty makeup or contact lenses.

Products liability is the branch of law that deals with the liability of parties involved in the manufacturing of a product for any damages caused by the product. If you are injured as the result of a defective product, then you need the services of an experienced attorney who has successfully handled product liability cases. Call Napoli Bern Ripka LLP at 888-529-4669, our attorneys will work with you to recover damages and medical expenses incurred by your injury.