A Malaysian woman sold a skin cream containing listed poisons to customers in Singapore.

The cream was touted as a homemade cream suitable for all skin types that was made with natural herbal extracts and no steroids.

A four-month-old baby, who used the cream for diaper rash since he was two weeks old, was hospitalised for steroid toxicity.

Boy diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) alerted members of the public against purchasing and/ or using the cream, Star Cream.

According to HSA, the boy's parents had bought the cream on their confinement nanny's recommendations.

However, he suffered a severe adverse reaction after using the cream.

He had persistent vomiting, abnormal eye alignment and a bulging soft part of his skull consistent with signs of increased brain pressure.

He was diagnosed at the hospital with Cushing's syndrome, a serious medical condition caused by prolonged steroid use.

Its symptoms include "moon face", a rounded face, as well as "buffalo back", a hump on the back of the neck between the shoulder blades, and/ or upper body obesity with thin limbs.

While the boy was eventually discharged, he required long-term follow-up to monitor the side effects of steroid toxicity.

Cream contained potent steroid

Contrary to the cream's all-natural and no-steroid claims, HSA's analysis of the product revealed that it contained two synthetic medicinal ingredients, one of which is clobetasol propionate, a potent steroid.

HSA worked with local e-commerce platforms Carousell and Shopee and social media platform Facebook to remove listings that were selling Star Cream.

It also warned individuals against selling and supplying the cream.

Those found doing so can be jailed up to two years and/ or fined up to S$10,000.

Woman handed 11 charges

A 30-year-old Malaysian woman Chin Sook Yee was handed 11 charges for selling poisons without a licence in November 2023, according to CNA.

Chin is accused of selling Star Cream on Shopee under the shop name "Starcream_homemade official" to four buyers between Jan. 1, 2022 and May 30, 2022.

Some of the buyers made repeat purchases.

Chin is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 4, 2024

Top image from Health Sciences Authority