Kumar Bahukhandi
As reports emerged that close to 20 women sought treatment at hospitals with similar symptoms over the past two years, skin lightening creams like Goree Beauty Cream, Face Fresh Gold and Golden Star Beauty Cream have come under scanner
Nagpur: Fairness creams used for skin lightening have allegedly caused serious kidney diseases in 18 women in Maharashtra’s Nagpur. An investigation by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that the creams contained toxic heavy metals such as mercury and lead at levels far above the permissible limit.
As reports emerged that close to 20 women sought treatment at hospitals with similar symptoms over the past two years, skin lightening creams like Goree Beauty Cream, Face Fresh Gold and Golden Star Beauty Cream came under the FDA scanner.
An FDA release, issued on Saturday evening, ordered an immediate stop to the use, sale and distribution of these three creams.
Several allegations have risen that Goree Beauty Cream is reportedly manufactured in Pakistan. The same cream was banned by New Zealand’s medicines regulator Medsafe in 2021, after lab tests found both mercury and lead in it. Four years later, in 2025, the Philippines FDA issued a public health advisory against Goree Beauty Kit products, citing lack of regulatory approval and safety concerns.
After the cases came to light, the FDA conducted raids at several shops and warehouses across Nagpur and seized the creams. As of now, the sale and distribution of these products have been strictly prohibited in the state. The products were marketed without properly mentioning the manufacturer’s address, date of manufacture or expiry date on their labels. The FDA Commissioner said users have been advised to stop using the creams immediately, and distributors and online platforms have been instructed to withdraw existing stocks.
