Women around the globe are risking their health using skin whitening products that often contain dangerous ingredients such as steroids, mercury and hydroquinone, which can have terrible side effects, particularly when used for prolonged periods.
In 2020, the global market for skin bleaching products was estimated at $8.6 billion and is estimated to reach $12.3 billion by 2027, fuelled by the deeply rooted and pervasive message that lighter skin is key for accessing emotional and economic opportunities.
In Africa, skin lightening is not a new phenomenon. It has been around for decades. Research shows that skin lightening is rife in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Congo Brazzaville, Cameroon, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Angola, Benin, Zambia, Kenya and Tanzania.
Besides women, many men, for example in the DRC and Congo Brazzaville – rich and poor, politicians, celebrities – use these products to make their faces glow, look handsome and get noticed. They call it ‘aspect.’ As a result of this ‘aspect’ culture there are a lot of people in many African countries, including Kenya, whose faces are pitch black.
Skin bleaching refers to the use of products to lighten dark areas of the skin or achieve an overall lighter complexion. These products include bleaching creams, soaps and pills, as well as professional treatments like chemical peels and laser therapy.
Skin bleaching started in the Victorian era with the age of powder and paint, the precursor to us wearing foundation. When we start looking at skin bleaching in Africa, we see it exploding around the time of independence, which is a bit ironic.
When I was a child, phrases like black is beautiful, were constant in my household. So why do so many people want to ruin their skin with dangerous bleaching procedures?
In many African cultures, light-skinned women are still considered more beautiful. So in order for dark-skinned women to fit in and feel more accepted by society, they opt for skin lightening products from vendors promising them miracles.
From a medical standpoint, the act of lightening one’s skin goes beyond the physical effect – it can be incredibly detrimental to one’s self-confidence and mental health. Medical experts say there is no health benefit to skin bleaching. Results aren’t guaranteed and there’s evidence that skin lightening can result in serious side effects and complications.
If you’re considering skin bleaching, it’s important to understand the risks. People who use skin products containing mercury have been found to have elevated mercury levels in their hair, blood and urine. Mercury can damage the kidneys, affect the nervous system, or cause pain or rashes.
Our skin is dark for a reason, especially if you live in Africa. We need melanin to protect us from the sun’s rays. When you use a chemical and ask your body to stop making melanin, there are health implications. Historically, skin cancer is not as common among black people because of our melanin. When we stop making melanin, we start suffering from skin cancer.
Awareness of the power of melanin could help dispel the myth that lighter skin equates to beauty and intelligence. In my opinion, such awareness could reduce the public health phenomenon of skin bleaching.
It is therefore high time we all built and developed ourselves from within ourselves. It can simply be referred from the internationally acclaimed Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o’s quote that beauty is not a thing that you acquire or consume, but something that you just have to be.
You can never increase your value by bleaching your skin. Your value is simply a measure of your values.
Public Communications Officer, Pharmacy and Poisons Board
