Rising Use Of Charcoal In Personal Care Products, Home Remedies Lead To Warnings From Health Officials

The Baltimore Sun reports on the growing popularity of personal care products containing charcoal, which is being “promoted by some for regular use, with applications that include whitening teeth and zapping acne away,” as well alleviating digestive issues. However, medical professionals and health experts “warn against taking [charcoal] regularly, and the Food and Drug Administration has approved it as a drug only for limited use as an over-the-counter poison treatment.” FDA spokesperson Andrea Fischer said, “Consumers should be mindful of products that claim to prevent, treat, or cure diseases or other health conditions, but are not proven safe and effective for those uses. ... Relying on unproven products or treatments can be dangerous, and may cause harmful delays in getting the proper diagnosis and appropriate treatments.”