When it comes to Halloween, most parents are well aware of the dangers associated with allowing their children to go near fireworks. However, the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) has issued a warning about the dangers associated with another popular Halloween past-time - face painting.

According to the board, high levels of lead have been found in some brands of cosmetics aimed at children in recent years.

While face painting is popular throughout the year, particularly at children's events and birthday parties, it is particularly popular at Halloween. As a result, Irish retailers tend to stock a higher number of these products at this time of year from a range of sources.

The IMB is calling on parents to check the ingredients of these products and to only buy them from a reputable source.

The surveillance of these products is coordinated by the IMB and the HSE's Environmental Health Service and Public Analysts' Laboratories. Their findings suggest that the prevalence of face paints containing lead is on the decline, however they warn that lead exposure ‘remains a credible risk'.

Excessive lead exposure can lead to toxic effects, including aggressive behaviour and hyperactivity.

Parents are being warned that if a product looks suspicious in any way, they should not buy it. This could include, for example, poor product information, no ingredients listed or no EU manufacturing or distribution address on the label.

The IMB emphasised that if the product does not include an EU address, this may indicate that it comes from outside the EU and therefore does not meet European safety requirements.

It added that historically, children's cosmetics made in China tended to have the highest lead contamination risk.

The IMB also urged parents to check if the product advises against use on children and to follow all directions carefully.

According to the board's cosmetics compliance manager, Lorraine Nolan, lead is ‘one of the most studied metals in terms of its health effects'.

"Exposure in early life should be avoided according to international health officials. Experts agree that no exposure to lead is safe. While no undesirable effects from using face paints have been recorded in Ireland to date, exposure is unnecessary and avoidable," she explained.

She added that dressing up for Halloween ‘should be fun and face paints should not pose a threat to our health'.

According to the IMB, lead should not be present in any cosmetic formulation except where trace levels are technically unavoidable due to the manufacturing process.

If parents have any concerns about a particular product, they should not purchase or use the product and should report their concerns to the IMB or their local HSE environmental health officer.

"The good news for parents is that, due to increased surveillance, we have seen a general downward trend in the number of products testing positive for lead. However, the presence of lead is still a health concern for children," Ms Nolan said.