EFFECTS Of SKIN WHITENING

I have a  friend who has complained to me severally of people making negative remarks about her skin color. I call her Jennine. Jennine is beautiful in every sense of the word, she could pass for a model any day, yet, some people make silent remarks like “you’re too black”, straight to her face. She narrated to me once that someone had advised her to whiten her skin a little in order to look more beautiful. Jennine is a strong lady and has never succumbed to such silly suggestions, but many black women have. Many black people, openly kick against racism, while on the other hand promoting colorism. Colorism has pushed many into the pitfall of skin whitening or skin bleaching, and in some cases, untimely death (where skin lightening goes wrong and complications like kidney damage, mercury poisoning arise).

WHAT IS SKIN WHITENING?

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. Several chemicals have been shown to be effective in skin whitening, while some have proven to be toxic or unsafe. There is no health benefit to skin bleaching. 

HOW COMMON IS SKIN WHITENING

At a global level, skin lightening products account for half of the entire cosmetics industry. Japan, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America are all places where skin lightening is popular. Both men and women practice it. In China, the industry for whitening is worth billions. In India, people purchase more lightening products than Coca-Cola.

In a lot of African countries, between 25% to 80% of women regularly use skin whiteners. In Asia, this number is around 40%. In India, specifically, over half of skincare products are sold to whiten skin.

Silly as it is, we always seem to want what we don’t (or can’t) have. In Western nations, naturally pale women often darken their skins by tanning with harmful UV light, which could lead to premature aging or even cancer, while people with naturally darker skin want the very opposite, going to extreme measures to brighten their complexions.

WHY SKIN WHITENING?

Skin whitening has become popular for so many reasons. In some parts of the world, the trend of having fairer skin can be traced back to several centuries ago, where white skin was a sign of being high in the social hierarchy since those who were wealthy did not have to work outside in the fields.

Today, people choose to bleach their skin for several reasons:

1. To appear more European and impress peers and potential partners.
2. The influence of mass-marketing and the celebrity culture, emphasizing white skin as an ideal of beauty. 
3. Desiring softer skin.
4. Desiring to conceal discolorations arising from pimples, rashes, or long-standing skin conditions. 

SIDE EFFECTS OF SKIN WHITENING

Skin lightening creams commonly contain mercury, hydroquinone, and corticosteroids. Because these compounds can cause both external and internal side effects, they are illegal to use or to sell in many countries. Some of the negative effects of skin bleaching are highlighted below:

1. Using products that contain mercury, over a long time, can discolor the skin because the mercury will accumulate within the cells of the skin. Mercury poisoning can cause symptoms such as pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs) and gastric irritation (irritation of the stomach). Products containing mercury can also cause long-term kidney damage and neurological complications, like insomnia (inability to sleep), memory loss, and irritability. 

2. Hydroquinone rapidly absorbed into the body through the skin. Long-term usage has been found to cause nephrotoxicity (i.e it is poisonous to the kidney) and leukemia (when it gets into bone marrow). Hydroquinone usage is also strongly associated with ochronosis (a metabolic disorder), cataracts, patchy depigmentation of the skin (where some parts of the skin develop an unusual color), and contact dermatitis (inflammation of the skin). Ochronosis can lead to more skin lesions and squamous cell carcinomas (cancer of the skin). Hydroquinone has not been officially classified as a cancer-causing agent, but it can be broken down into chemicals that cause cancer.

3. Corticosteroids, which have become some of the most commonly used lightening agents, also pose a lot of danger. Long-term usage over large areas of skin may promote absorption through the skin, which can cause problems such as skin atrophy (reduced thickness, such that the skin becomes thin)/ skin fragility (a weak skin). 

Glaucoma, cataracts, edemas, osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities, and growth suppression.

4. Chemically lightened skin is also more easily damaged by the sun and more likely to become infected (skin infections). Long-term users of skin whitening products can easily develop fungal infections and viral warts.
5. Pregnant women who use these products may also experience health complications for both themselves and their children.

TREATMENT OF SKIN DAMAGED BY SKIN WHITENING CHEMICALS

Quick fixes are unlikely to restore skin that has been deeply damaged by long-term use of skin bleaching chemicals. Instead, it is better to allow for slow and restorative healing. There are ways to slowly reverse the damage and restore your skin to its original health. The skin is resilient, and if we give it what it needs, it can slowly heal itself. Here are some things you can do:

1. Clean up your diet and lifestyle as much as possible. Change your diet to include more fruits and vegetables and be consistent with a balanced diet. 
2. Use deeply penetrative healing oils like castor oil or extra virgin coconut oil daily to restore skin.
3. Speak with a doctor if the skin problems are serious. You can speak with a doctor on the flexicare health insurance plan
4. Give it time.

PREVENTION

You can avoid skin whitening and the dangers associated with it, by paying attention to the products you use on your skin. Always be on the lookout to avoid creams that contain whitening chemicals.

 Appreciate your skin the way it is. If you’re black, appreciate the fact that your melanin gives you a lot of protection from the damaging effects of the sunlight. Your skin does a lot for you by protecting your internal organs every day, and regardless of what may be trending, your skin is beautiful just the way it is. Focus on maintaining the health and beauty of your skin, without changing the color and posing a threat to your overall health.

If ever you have any skin problems or you’re considering lightening your skin for any reason, don’t just pick up whatever skin product you run into on the shelves of your local stores or online stores. Instead, speak with a doctor to guide you on how to achieve what you want in a way that would not pose a threat to your overall health.

Remember, health is the ultimate beauty.

On a lighter note (I didn’t say whiter…), let blacks be blacks and whites be white.