Corey inquires… I read at Cosmeticsdesign.com that cosmetics from China are made with human collagen taken from dead prisoners. This sounds like an urban legend to me. What sayest the Beauty Brains?
The Mid Brain responds:
Actually Corey, this looks like a legitimate story but it’s not new news. According the UK Guardian, this story started back 2005 with an investigative report into Chinese ingredient suppliers. Apparently one such supplier told an uncover agent that they were “developing collagen for lip and wrinkle treatments from skin taken from prisoners after they have been shot.” They went on to add that using the skin from condemned criminals is “traditional and nothing to make such a big fuss about.”
Convict cosmetics
The report says that some of the collagen from suppliers was sold in the UK for use in wrinkle fillers and cosmetic creams. (Want to learn more? Read what collagen does in a skin cream). Beyond the obvious gross out factor there are ethical issues using human ingredients in cosmetics. (Does everyone remember our post on foreskins in cosmetics?) But perhaps most concerning is the danger of infection. The British Department of Health says there could be a “risk of transmission of blood-borne viruses and even vCJD from collagen containing human tissue.” In response to these concerns the Department of Health is planning on more carefully regulating collagen injections.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
I suppose the Left Brain would use this story as an another example of how natural ingredients are no better than synthetics!
Bonus fact: did you know there are 12 different kinds of collagen?
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Why would this story surprise anyone? The Chinese use known toxic substances (melamine) to save a buck when making their baby formulas… killing their OWN babies.
I personally NEVER trust toiletries or food of any kind that says made in China. I always look at the labels to see where something is made before I buy it. They don’t respect their own citizen’s human life, why would they respect mine? Any to answer my own question, they haven’t from their own abuse of their citizens human remains, to killing our dogs with melamine tainted dog food, to killing their babies with melamine to all the lead they put in the toys. It’s just sad and something I’d rather avoid.
BTW – this is a sick, sad story about the lack of Chinese respect for human life in general – the picture of the sexy convict you put with this story is incongruous and disgusting.
The country of origin is going to be that of the final product, not of the individual ingredients. I don’t think there’s any way to know where the collagen in a product comes from unless it becomes enough of an issue that manufacturers feel the need to state explicitly what the source of the collagen is.
“Traditional?” Hm, apartheid and suttee were also traditional cultural practices, and people seemed to get pretty worked up over those …
Besides, it doesn’t matter to me if it’s traditional there; it’s not traditional here. I don’t set up a hot dog stand in a rabbi convention and then complain about bad sales. The customer’s traditions matter when you’re selling stuff to them.
@ Nidia.
I’m Chinese and I find your comment extremely offensive. The way you make it sound it’s like we’re ALL like that and we’re not. In fact it’s just a TINY FRACTION of our population that are like that.
So don’t make it sound like NONE of us respect human life and that we’re ALL out there trying to kill our babies just for a couple more dollars.
Isn’t that the same country of the human hair-based soy sauce?
Chinese industry = disgusting
We were responding to how Chinese government and industry regard human life, not the average person of Chinese descent.
Oh yeah, if you came back there, you PROBABLY wouldn’t have much of a political voice there–you’d be arrested and persecuted, with your collagen harvested from your corpse too!
Instead of going out of your way to get offended, how about trying to figure stuff out from full perspective (ideas, not insults!) first!
@ Fabienne.
Like, omg, I’m so totally sorry for getting all defensive about Nidia’s comment. You’re so totally right! I shouldn’t get offended from HER comment; I should be offended with yours. Especially when Nidia’s comment just “sounded like” (or did you not read that part in my post..) it meant to diss us all whereas yours literally attacked me. But don’t worry, I won’t retaliate, I have more class than that.
And do you think we DON’T know all the horrible things that our people do? Puh-lease! Our Asian news channels cover more horrible stories than any English reporter would even fathom. But have you ever wondered why there’s so many stories about China-made goods? Maybe it’s because export is THE industry in China, not to mention our population size. NO country has perfect citizens (some amateur French fishermen use dogs as LIVE shark bait, some American soldiers show POW brutality) but you hear about China’s problems the most because we just have that many more people and that much more exposure. You think China is the only to produce fake drugs and harm its people? Goodness gracious! And you implied that I was ignorant.. Don’t be the pot that calls the kettle black. It just makes you sound worse.
kthxbi
izzy:
When we say ‘China’ we are referring to the Chinese government, which, as is well known, does not remotely resemble a democracy. The Chinese people do not make public policy, directly or indirectly. It is a fact, though, that body parts from executed prisoners have found their way into consumer products, including for export. In fairness there are other countries that have a higher per capita execution rate, but China is the only country that does this.
I support having an open relationship with China; nonetheless, I do find it hard not to be wary of a government so willing to treat human life as a commodity. If anyone here identifies so strongly with the Chinese government as to be offended by these comments, then offend I must. I hope and trust you are not among them.
mrh
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