Northeast News
November 26, 2013

A makeup product purchased in Kansas City has now been linked to at least one case of childhood lead poisoning.

The cosmetic product, which had a label written in Burmese, was packaged in a silver colored container with a cardboard cover showing a woman wearing a pink dress. Translated in English, the label reads: “Sondraque, in the Myanmar tradition, the princess uses Thanakha.”

According to Kansas City, Missouri’s Health Department, thanakha may increase the risk of lead poisoning. Thanakha is normally found in imported medicinal or cosmetic products and is used to treat or prevent acne and is also used as a sunscreen or a cosmetic. Thanakha, also spelled thanaka or tanaka, usually comes in the form of a paste or powder that can be mixed with water and is sold predominantly in ethnic stores and online. Its packaging may lack information about the product’s manufacturer or distributor.

“Imported makeup such as thanakha has frequently been found to be contaminated with lead,” said Amy Roberts, registered nurse and manager of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. “If you have this product, you should stop using it, throw it away, and only use products with ingredients clearly labeled on the container. You should also get a blood lead test.”

Lead exposure can cause serious health effects including brain damage, kidney damage, cardiovascular damage and learning disabilities. High doses of lead may cause seizures and death.

For more information about thanakha, contact the Healthy Homes and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at 816-513-6048. Because this is part of a medical investigation, information specific to the lead-poisoned child is not available.