Safety alert: The Department of Health urges consumers not to use beauty product Jin Sheng Mei after a case of mercury poisoning.

The Department of Health urges consumers not to use beauty product Jin Sheng Mei after receiving a report of mercury poisoning involving a 34-year-old woman.

The patient sought medical treatment at Queen Elizabeth Hospital for ankle swelling and facial puffiness on September 14 and was found to have high level of mercury in her blood.

She said she had used Jin Sheng Mei and two other beauty products without labels which she got from a friend in Shenzhen.

Chemical analysis found the mercury content of Jin Sheng Mei was 74,810 parts per million, and the mercury contents of the other two are 31.5 ppm and 38,040 ppm.

The tolerable limit of mercury content stipulated in the Mainland's Hygienic Standards for Cosmetics is 1 ppm.

The Customs & Excise Department will investigate whether the products in question are on sale in Hong Kong.

Consumers who have used the product can call 2125 1133 for health advice. For enquiries and complaints regarding unsafe goods call the Customs hotline 2545 6182.