麻豆社

I was able to buy soap and creams containing the banned ingredients from Beauty Queens Cosmetics on East Street.

It鈥檚 been illegal to sell any cosmetics containing hydroquinone in the UK since 2001, and shops can be fined up to 拢5,000 for selling creams and soaps containing it.

The bleaching agent has been described as the biological equivalent of paint stripper or bleach.

It works by stopping the skin from producing its own natural sun protection called melanin, and can damage the structure of the skin forever.

At first, hydroquinone may appear to lighten the skin.

But using it over a long period of time, or in quantities that are too strong, can have serious side effects, including excessive pigmentation, or darkening of the skin.

Mercury is a poison that seeps into the blood system through the skin.

It can cause damage to the brain, and internal organs like the kidneys.

In fact it鈥檚 so dangerous that dermatologist Dr Tony Chu from Imperial College, was shocked that I was able to buy it.

鈥淚'm absolutely astonished that you actually found this鈥� he told me.

鈥淲ith time mercury is absorbed by the skin cells and accumulates鈥�

It can [cause] a blue-ish grey discolouration, so you can be left 鈥�. with a rather bluey-grey face鈥�

Mercury 鈥� can damage the kidneys and you can actually go into kidney failure鈥�

It can also damage the brain cells and can cause depression and psychosis.鈥�

Damage caused by skin bleaching cream.

So if听 these products are so dangerous, why is there still a demand for them?

Well many Black and Asian women believe that lighter skin is more beautiful, and are willing to go to extraordinary lengths to try and achieve a fairer complexion.

Ray Bouch is from Lambeth trading standards. He鈥檚 been involved in successfully prosecuting people for selling cosmetics such as these.

He told me that for many traders are selling the products is worth the risk:

鈥淭hese products are imported from places [like] the Middle East and Nigeria, and sold in this country for vast profit鈥�

They sell for [roughly] between three to five pounds each, but they're probably only pennies to purchase [abroad]鈥�

There are major profits to be made.鈥�

The manager of Beauty Queens Amjid Ali, told me that hadn't been aware these products were for sale in his shop, and hadn't known it was illegal to sell them.

But when I told him that these products have been linked to cancer, he said that if people are allowed to buy cigarettes they ought to be able to buy these creams.

Barking & Dagenham council say they've been working hard to try and educate shop keepers about the law.

Trading standards officer Robert Williams told me:

鈥淲e carried out an education programme just two years ago now 鈥� where we were giving education and advice to traders, providing them with fact-sheets and leaflets about skin lightening creams.

Now it is possible he wasn't trading at this time. But if he was he would've had a visit from us.鈥�

Barking & Dagenham trading standards are now investigating.