Let’s Play Holy Safe without China Products

Neucrad health news desk, written by Subhra Adhikari, March 05, 2020

On 9th March 2020, a vast group of Indian population will be celebrating the festival of colours or Holi with great joy and passion. Around fifteen days before this festival you would start noticing many local shops housing a large number of small bottles containing colours for Holi. However, how many of you have an idea of the multitude of harmful chemicals that go in the production of the majority of these products?

Traditionally, pigments were obtained from spring flowers for the celebration of this grand festival welcoming the new season. However, nowadays, small scale traders do not keep quality assurance in mind and manufacture Holi colours with many toxic compounds which can have adverse effects on the skin and other organs of the body. China exports lots of ingredients for Holi celebration. Here is a small write-up dealing with harmful impacts of Holi colours and a few ways of preventing these unfavourable effects on the skin.

Common Toxic Inorganic Compounds Present in Holi Colours

Here is a list of some common toxic chemicals present in the majority of present-day Holi colours.

• Green- copper sulphate and malachite green
• Red- mercury sulphate
• Silver- aluminium bromide
• Black- lead oxide
• Blue- Prussian blue, indigo, cobalt nitrate, and zinc salts

In some rare cases, manufacturers may also add mica dust and glass particles to artificial colours imparting shine to them. However, it is essential to remember, adding such content can have very adverse reactions on the skin. Often individuals need to visit a Dermatologist
or even a hospital in the aftermath of celebration. It must also be kept in mind, the sale of these colours are highly unregulated, and they rarely pass through quality tests before hitting markets.

Which type of Colours is Better for playing Holi?

It is best to play Holi with natural herbal colours made from plant products like flowers petals or leaves. They do not cause any negative impact on the skin. Buyers should read the labels very carefully before selecting the ideal one as there is a tendency among manufacturers of using additives along with organic materials rendering it unsafe for the skin.

Among the powder colours (abir) and the liquid colours (small bottles containing a powder which need to be added to water to produce liquid pigment), abir is better as they can get washed off easily after application. Liquid colours get collected in the folds and creases of skin and remain there for a long duration.

What are the Side-Effects of Holi Colours?

As already mentioned, most of the artificial colours have severe adverse effects on the skin. They may cause skin allergy where individuals can experience rashes, itching, dryness and redness. Sometimes skin can also develop eczema. If the colours enter the eyes by mistake, it starts irritating and can even lead to blindness. Accidental ingestion of colours can damage the kidney especially if they contain lead oxide. Pigments containing chlorine or iodine have a greater tendency to causing asthma. The colours also harm hairs. They turn dry, fizzy, and challenging to manage on the application of pigments. There are also reports of the occurrence of alopecia after coming in contact with these colours.

How can you Prevent the Negative Impact of Holi Colours?

There are some tried and tested procedures recommended by experts which can help in minimising the adverse effects of colours.

• Revellers should apply a generous quantity of coconut and olive oil all over the exposed part of the body and hair before the celebration.
• It is better to take special care in applying oil at places with folds on the skin like the area behind ear lobes, near fingernails, and elbow region.
• Wearing sunglasses and caps helps in protecting the delicate eyes and hairs during Holi.

These were the adverse effects of colours and few safety measures needed to follow for a safe Holi. Finally, everyone should remember, one person’s enjoyment should never be a cause of agony to others. So, play Holi with herbal colours and stay safe during the festival.