Baby cream alleged to contain excessive hormones pulled from shelves

Government officials ordered a baby cream to be pulled off shelves and its manufacturer to suspend production due to allegedly containing an excessive amount of hormones, leading to abnormal infant development.

Samples of Yifuling Multi-effect Special Cream produced by Fujian Ouai Baby Health Care Products were collected for further testing, and the company was ordered to recall the product, according to the Health Commission of Zhangzhou in southeastern China’s Fujian Province.

A science blogger Daddy Wei (老爸评测-魏老爸) released a video on Weibo yesterday alleging a 5-month-old baby gained weight rapidly, grew excessive hair on his face and exhibited delays in movement development after using the cream for only two months.

Daddy Wei claimed he took the cream and another skincare product made by the same company called “Happy Forest” for testing, and more than 30 milligrams per kilogram of clobetasol propionate, a strong steroid, was discovered in both products.

Clobetasol propionate is used to treat moderate-to-severe eczema and other skin conditions. Due to its potency, treatment should not exceed two weeks and it's not recommended in children under the age of 12, according to drugs.com, a popular online source of drug information.

According to Daddy Wei, however, instructions for both products recommend long-term daily use.

“We are applying poison to our baby every day,” the baby’s grandmother said.

Daddy Wei said the baby was hospitalized for a thorough examination, and all test results were normal. A doctor suspected the baby’s obesity and excessive hair growth were caused by the cream.

The baby’s mother said when she complained about the cream's danger, the manufacturer asserted its products contain no hormones and threatened legal action against her.

The video has received more than 62 million likes and 37,000 comments.