Skin lightening products also known as bleaching creams, whiteners, skin brighteners, or fading creams work by reducing a pigment called melanin in the skin. This was considered to be a sign of beauty and also of social standing. The preliminary results suggest that there are varied reasons for skin bleaching and there is a range of black identities as each person constructs his or her identity in a multicultural society. Second, besides the known dermatologic effects of skin bleach, such as dermatitis, exogenous ochronosis, and acne, we should also expand. Ghana is a tropical country where the weather is very warm.
Several chemicals have been shown to be effective in skin whitening, while some have proven to be toxic or have questionable safety profiles. The overall findings show that there is a bias in jamaica for light skin over dark skin and these values are taught in nonformal and informal ways from very early in life. The practice of skin bleaching is of social and public health concern, and this study has implications for national policy, practice and theory. Skin bleaching is the changing of the skin colour of the human being from dark to fair with the use of items like. Skin whitening, also known as skin lightening and skin bleaching, refers to the practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to lighten the skin or provide an even skin color by reducing the melanin concentration in the skin. Skin bleaching for instance, which is commonly used amongst the black community, considerably, african women as well as jamaicans is used to whiten or bleach the melanin, the crucial determining factor of the color of the skin. Many african women want to keep their skin toned and beautiful by indulging in skin care products that bleach the skin. Blacks where seen as inferior amongst whites and thought that bleaching the skin would allow them to be just as worthy as people of lighter complexion. Skin lightening practices, beliefs, and selfreported adverse effects. Other reasons why women indulge in skin bleaching is prostitution i. Dermatologists across asia offer skin whitening creams, pills, injections, laser treatments, etc, at hefty prices and consumers desperate for lighter skin on a small. It is now known that chemical bleaching can lead to serious skin and health conditions which include. Not much is known though about the long term effects many skin lightening ingredients can cause, so further research is necessary to better understand the longitudinal effects.
Mercury added in skinlightening products toxicological note. The shocking cancer effects of skin bleaching the point. It is done through the use of homemade products, cosmetic products and dermatological products. There is a considerable amount of literature which documents, from the 17. Show this safety data sheet to the doctor in attendance. Bleaching for beauty introduction to sociology, 1804 dr. The effects of skin bleach in society free download as word doc. Harmful side effects of bleaching skin care, makeup. In fact, skin bleaching can be very detrimental to ones health and wellbeing. Skin bleaching in the caribbean caribbean psychology today. Wednesday november 25, 2009 i n part 1 published november 11, we saw where people bleached the entire body, including the ears, breasts, genitals and anal areas. This doityourself approach is the reason that dermatologists in jamaica see so many patients suffering from the side effects of misusing or overusing bleaching.
Mercury added in skin lightening products toxicological note ana boischio, phd, msc regional advisor in toxicology. Pdf skin bleaching and its negative effects on the. The darker side of skin bleaching part 2 jamaica gleaner. Snow white complex has slowly penetrated the psyche of young people, even within the islands national soccer teams. Pdf abstract many women and youthful ladies in ghana attach much passion to beauty than any other thing. Skin bleaching is a social issue faced by many jamaicans. Moving beyond the studies above, charles 2003a, 2003b, 2004 found that the participants in jamaica who bleach their skin and those who do. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Soccer why are some jamaicans bleaching their skin to get lighter. Those who could afford to applied ceruse a paste made from vinegar and white lead to their face, neck and chest. South africa has set an example for all struggling nations by overcoming apartheid and showing the world that exceptional leaders are needed to stand up, fight, and put an end to oppression. Why are some jamaicans bleaching their skin to get lighter. It analyzes skin lightening as a problem and the effects of these different types of media on africanjamaican women.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the skin whitening book secrets to. The citizens of jamaica use subtle and extreme measures to. Max orezzoli november 21, 2011 skin bleaching is defined as a practice of using chemical substances in attempt to lighten skin tone or provide an even skin complexion by lessening the concentration of melanin. Harmful effects of chemical skin bleaching and some safer. Skin bleaching should be done under the supervision of a trained dermatologist, but too often hydroquinone cream, the most common type of skin bleach, is used without any supervision, which.
Conducting a social scientific research will help to answer the question of why africans are prone to skin bleaching, ways to inform the people about the effects of skin bleaching and skin bleaching recovery. Introduction skin bleaching cosmetics with inorganic mercury have been used to. The concept behind skin bleaching is to acquire a better, smoother and lighter skin complexion, however, studies have. The bleaching process refers to removal of freckles, skin aging spots, scarring, or uneven skin tone. The two groups have almost the same average scores above the median, which indicates that skin bleaching did not occur because of low selfesteem.
Participants engaged in the research practising skin bleaching were women of. Elida vaught, msc consultant, sustainable development and health equity, february, 2017. Skin bleaching is a growing trend in the caribbean and may be defined as the removal of skin melanin to achieve lighter skin tone. Call a poison control center or doctor for treatment advice. The epidemic started several years ago due to racism.
The terms skin whitening, skin lightening, and skin bleaching covers a variety of cosmetic methods used in an attempt to whiten or lighten the skin. Research reveals that several chemicals and toxic compounds used in the preparation of whitening products can have harmful effects 9. Skin bleaching, selfhate, and black identity in jamaica. Some of the causes of skin discoloration are sun damage, hormonal changes, aging, and genetics. This condition is characterised by severe bruising, exposed capillaries capillariesveins can easily be seen and are close to the skin, stretch marks and other serious skin problems.
Intraracial color discrimination is a controversial subject within the lack b community. The use of botanical extracts as topical skinlightening. Most of these bleaching cosmetic products contain different kinds of harmful chemicals such as hydroquinone, mercury, kojic acid and vitamin c, which can affect their health amponsah et al. Some people prefer not to discuss it while others contend skin color bias. Mercury and hydroquinone content of skin toning creams and. Did you know that, indulgence in skin bleaching over a long period can expose one to diseases such as glaucoma, hypertension, diabetes and kidney malfunction. Skin bleaching is a widespread phenomenon in spite of their potentially toxic health effects. Skin bleaching or skin whitening is not a new concept. Eye contact hold eye open and rinse slowly and gently with water for 15 20 minutes. Gentrification is another issue that requires social scientific. Using skin lightening products to get fairer skin continues to be a widespread phenomenon.
Skin bleaching is used to treat discoloration of the skin, without changing skin color. Skin bleaching how and why these black women bleach. The world health organization who stated that nigerian women are the highest users of skin lightening products in the world, as about 77% of nigerian women buy and use these products. The effects of internalized oppression on the black community. The darker side of skin bleaching part 2 the bleachers speak published. The controversial issue of skin bleaching has been debated in our island for decades. Dangers of skin whitening products skin whitening news.
The skin whitening book secrets to an even smooth complexion kindle edition by briggs, katriona. Skin whitening used interchangeably with skin bleaching or skin lightening is the act of brightening of the skin complexion using substances, mixtures or physical treatments 1 2. Skin whitening is used for aesthetic or cosmetic reasons to increase skin glow, radiance and vibrancy in. Some time ago, nigeria was declared the world capital of skin bleaching. Skin can also smell after many years of use of skin bleaching creams. Back in the elizabethan times women and men strived to achieve a pale white skin complexion. In certain countries like india and philippines, commercials popularizing creams with skin whitening abilities take a big part of television airtime. Skin bleaching and dermatologic health of african and afro. Pdf skin bleaching and its negative effects on the physical.
Knowledge, attitude and practice of skin whitening among. Several african countries such as rwanda and ghana recently banned the use of skin bleaching products, doctor ola brown writes that banning. The promotion of skinbleaching products in jamaica. Hydroquinone is used to lighten the dark patches of skin also called hyperpigmentation, melasma, liver spots, age spots, freckles caused by pregnancy, birth control pills, hormone medicine, or injury to the skin. Melanin is responsible for giving black coloring in the human skin.
However, only two cases exist in the literature that documents the development of. The effects of skin bleach in society human skin color skin. Skin bleaching is defined as the practice of using chemicals to lighten skin tone or provide an even skin complexion by lessening the concentration of melanin in the human skin. One reason for skin bleaching is to create an identity that is perceived as more socially acceptable. Skin lightening sl, also known as skin bleaching and skin whitening. Skin bleaching is popular with darkerskinned people to obtain a more even skin tone, but skin bleaching cream is also often used to lighten sun damage and age spots on the skin in people of all skin colors. Skin bleaching essay example free essays, term papers. Even though our society is learning to appreciate the different forms of beauty across races, fairer skin is still coveted.
The use of botanical extracts as topical skin lightening agents for the improvement of skin pigmentation disorders wenyuan zhu1 and jie gao1 both physicians and dermatology patients are searching for longterm topical skin care solutions both cosmetic and cosmeceutical to address problems presented by skin hyperpigmentation. Nonetheless, those against the practice are being silenced by those who are clearly for it. Dangers of skin bleaching and lightening why skin color exists in various shades is a trivial matter. While the history of skin bleaching can be traced to the elizabethan age of powder and paint, in its current manifestations, skin bleaching is. Skin lightening or whitening is extremely controversial topic as it is closely intertwined with the detrimental effects on health, identity, selfimage, racier supremacy and colonial mentality. Fokuo submits that women engage in skin lightening because light skin is associated with higher status, privilege, and beauty, women feel the need to bleach their skin to look beautiful and attract highstatus mates.
Skin bleaching should be done under the supervision of a trained dermatologist, but too often hydroquinone cream, the most common type of skin bleach, is used without any supervision, which can result in uneven lightening of the skin and a slew of other undesirable effects. First let me tell you what is bleaching, bleaching is basically the method of lightening the colour of the hair of the skin to match the colour of the skin. Harmful side effects of bleaching we all know what is bleaching but we really dont bother about what exactly are the harmful effects of bleaching. Remove contact lenses, if present, after the first 5 minutes, then continue rinsing eye. Continuous application of skin bleaching creams can cause skin cancer or acne, or lead the skin to lose its elasticity, meaning skin with more wrinkles charles, 2003. Repeated use of skin whitening creams may cause thinning of the skin.
369 1427 54 870 1153 154 645 300 810 810 1473 820 918 282 284 851 960 9 1190 142 1292 948 987 1485 1229 588 969 142 302 156