Abu Dhabi: Residents have been urged once more to practise caution when using herbal products and oils.
This includes seeking advice from qualified physicians before use, instead of relying only on the advice of beauticians and parlour attendants.
“Herbal products are highly perishable and improper storage can cause harmful fungi and microbes to grow on them. Residents who frequent parlours must therefore be careful when deciding on the use of a product that is not familiar,” said Fathiya Abdullah Al Marzouqi, head of awareness at Zayed Complex for Herbal Research and Traditional Medicine.
At a recent lecture organised by the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City, Fathiya also said that parlour attendants cannot be considered physicians or specialists.
“They lack the medical expertise for coping with any side effects arising from the use of herbal products and oils, [which is why it is important to consultant licensed physicians before use],” she explained.
The lecture was organised to educate municipal inspectors about the proper use and storage of herbs and oils.
“The municipality is also conducting an inspection campaign to ensure that all salons and beauty parlours comply with public health and sanitation standards, as well as regulations on the safe use of beauty products,” said Dr Khalifa Mohammad Al Rumaithi, director of public health at the municipality.
“During these checks, products that are unsafe, banned or expired will be confiscated and action will be taken against the facilities,” Al Rumaithi warned.
Despite such warnings, many people are still taken in by miracle cures promised by certain herbal products and oils.
“Most often, people are misled by products that claim to aid weight loss, reduce hair fall or get rid of acne and stretch marks,” Dr Shameema Abdul Nazer, an ayurvedic doctor at Jansons Medical Centre, told Gulf News.
“What many patients do not understand is that there is usually no standard cure for an ailment. For example, hair loss can occur due to hormonal factors, weight gain, presence or dandruff or other physiological reasons. So a herbal product that promises to reduce hair loss cannot work because it cannot cure all those different causes for the hair fall,” she explained.
While skin allergies are common when products are misused, the doctor said many unsightly scars can also occur.
“One of my patients was suffering from an itch near his elbow, and took an herbal product without seeking medical advice. Soon, his entire arm and face had developed white patches and redness,” she said.
Because it is usually difficult to determine the source and composition of an herbal product or oil, Dr Abdul Nazer recommended always seeking medical advice before use.
Fathiya also advised residents to check the expiry dates on products before application at a parlour, and to report immediately to a specialist in case of any undesirable side effects.
