Banned: Chemical MI will now be banned from all leave-on cosmetics thanks to a Mail on Sunday campaign . A chemical is to be banned from beauty products after an investigation by The Mail on Sunday showed it was responsible for triggering one of the worst skin-allergy epidemics doctors have seen. The preservative methylisothiazolinone – also known as MI – has been a popular ingredient in moisturisers, sun creams, shampoos and even baby wipes. But in July, this paper revealed that one patient in ten who went to hospital with the painful skin condition dermatitis had suffered an allergic reaction to MI. After our report, British dermatologists demanded action, warning the epidemic would only intensify. Now the European Commission  is set to outlaw the chemical from all leave-on cosmetics that are rubbed on to the skin, and dramatically reduce its use in rinse-off products such as shampoo. The Commission is expected to announce the plan next week after Cosmetics Europe, the trade body for 4,000 cosmetics firms, took the unprecedented step of advising its members to urgently remove MI from products left on the skin. Dr David Orton, president of the British Society of Cutaneous Allergy, said he was delighted. ‘It is good news there are proposals to regulate,’ he added. ‘We are also pleased the industry itself is advising members to remove MI from leave-on products so that consumers are protected even more quickly.’ Dr Ian White, a consultant dermatologist at the St John’s Institute of Dermatology at St Thomas’ Hospital in London who campaigned for tighter regulations, said: ‘I’m delighted something is being done. ‘There is strong evidence that the number of patients affected is continuing to rise and so it is clear that strong action is needed.’ MI started being used as a preservative in 2006 but only recently became a popular ingredient, triggering a surge in allergic reactions. Last year, only about six per cent of dermatitis patients were found  to be sensitive to MI. By this summer, the figure had jumped to ten per cent and now, estimates suggest the number is 14 per cent. Reaction: One in ten sufferers of dermatitis were found to have had an allergic reaction to the chemical . In September Johnson & Johnson said it would change the formula of its Piz Buin 1 Day Long suncream after more than 150 people told of reactions. Under current rules, MI can be added to cosmetics at a concentration of 100 parts per million. But next week, the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety will say that MI should be banned from all leave-on products and used at just 15 parts per million in rinse-off products. It is this second proposal that is likely to cause controversy, as many companies contest the claim that MI in rinse-off products causes harm. However, dermatologists argue there is now a pool of people sensitised to MI who could react to it even in shampoos and shower gels.
Methylisothiazolinone (MI) an ingredient in moisturisers and sun .
creams .
In July MoS revealed one in ten sufferers of dermatitis had reaction to MI .
European Commission now set to outlaw the chemical from cosmetics .
Banned: Chemical MI will now be banned from all leave-on cosmetics thanks to a Mail on Sunday campaign . A chemical is to be banned from beauty products after an investigation by The Mail on Sunday showed it was responsible for triggering one of the worst skin-allergy epidemics doctors have seen. The preservative methylisothiazolinone – also known as MI – has been a popular ingredient in moisturisers, sun creams, shampoos and even baby wipes. But in July, this paper revealed that one patient in ten who went to hospital with the painful skin condition dermatitis had suffered an allergic reaction to MI. After our report, British dermatologists demanded action, warning the epidemic would only intensify. Now the European Commission  is set to outlaw the chemical from all leave-on cosmetics that are rubbed on to the skin, and dramatically reduce its use in rinse-off products such as shampoo. The Commission is expected to announce the plan next week after Cosmetics Europe, the trade body for 4,000 cosmetics firms, took the unprecedented step of advising its members to urgently remove MI from products left on the skin. Dr David Orton, president of the British Society of Cutaneous Allergy, said he was delighted. ‘It is good news there are proposals to regulate,’ he added. ‘We are also pleased the industry itself is advising members to remove MI from leave-on products so that consumers are protected even more quickly.’ Dr Ian White, a consultant dermatologist at the St John’s Institute of Dermatology at St Thomas’ Hospital in London who campaigned for tighter regulations, said: ‘I’m delighted something is being done. ‘There is strong evidence that the number of patients affected is continuing to rise and so it is clear that strong action is needed.’ MI started being used as a preservative in 2006 but only recently became a popular ingredient, triggering a surge in allergic reactions. Last year, only about six per cent of dermatitis patients were found  to be sensitive to MI. By this summer, the figure had jumped to ten per cent and now, estimates suggest the number is 14 per cent. Reaction: One in ten sufferers of dermatitis were found to have had an allergic reaction to the chemical . In September Johnson & Johnson said it would change the formula of its Piz Buin 1 Day Long suncream after more than 150 people told of reactions. Under current rules, MI can be added to cosmetics at a concentration of 100 parts per million. But next week, the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety will say that MI should be banned from all leave-on products and used at just 15 parts per million in rinse-off products. It is this second proposal that is likely to cause controversy, as many companies contest the claim that MI in rinse-off products causes harm. However, dermatologists argue there is now a pool of people sensitised to MI who could react to it even in shampoos and shower gels.
ingredient in moisturisers, sun creams, shampoos dermatitis had suffered an allergic reaction to intensify. Now the European Commission  is set to outlaw the chemical from all leave-on cosmetics per cent. Reaction: One in ten sufferers of