The
black skin colour is healthy and very beautiful; do not bleach it ugly to skin cancer
Ivory
Coast banned lightening creams by law why not in the GAMBIA
The
shocking number of women in The Gambia now is bleaching their skin. Why do they
want does that? Is fairer skin really more appealing than beautiful black skin?
Skin
whitening, skin lightening, and skin bleaching refer to the practice of using
chemical substances in an attempt to lighten skin tone or provide an even skin
complexion 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 have questionable safety profiles, adding to the controversy
surrounding their use and impacts on certain ethnic groups.
People
have been known to use lightening creams to ‘bleach’/lighten their skin
complexions for years.
Celebrities
and everyday folks alike have resorted to these measures without knowing the
long term effects of these creams. In late April, Ivory Coast banned lightening
creams (also referred to as “whitening” creams) because of the negative health
effects associated with them – ranging from something as light as acne to
devastating repercussions such as cancer.
Lightening
creams reduce the amount of melanin in the skin. Melanin is the pigment that
gives human skin, hair, and eyes their colour. Dark-skinned people have more
melanin in their skin compared to light/fair-skinned people.
Harmful
Effects of skin Bleaching
Harmful
effects of bleaching include mainly two substances which are present in these
are hydroquinone and mercury. Hydroquinone is very harsh chemical present in
the bleach which makes the cell of your skin completely dead and this if once
happens cannot ever be repaired. Also the Harmful effects of bleaching are also
seen if you start bleaching your skin at a very young age that is may be below
the age of twenty. As this is a young age your skin is very tender and delicate
and thus the chemicals present in the bleach have many harmful effects on the
skin.
To
start with, variety is the spice of our life, such as variety in food, clothes,
hairstyles, etc. Variety also abounds in nature. That is why all people on
Earth belong to different types of skin colours, from white to yellow and to
black. Our living environment accounts for the different skin colours we have.
For example, in cold climatic regions such as Europe, inhabitants tend to have
a lighter complex due to the cold weather, whereas in Africa, darker skin is
better suited in the hot and humid climate.
Actually
many beauticians and doctors advise us that by eating healthily, exercising and
using body cream rich in Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and Collagen Elastin will produce
more fascinating effects than applying mere bleaching creams.
All
skin bleaching products contain one of the two active ingredients --
hydroquinone and mercury.
1.
Hydroquinone lightens the colour of the skin areas to which it is applied by
killing off the melanin-making cells - the melanolyte. It is also the active
ingredient in ‘fade-off’ creams for freckles, age spots, etc.
Historical
background: Hydroquinone was first use in the thirties. Some of the
African-American employees found that spots of discolouration appeared on their
skin.
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.
Skin
lightening or whitening is extremely controversial topic as it is closely
intertwined with the detrimental effects on health, identity, self-image,
racier supremacy and colonial mentality.
There
is evidence to prove that most types of skin-whitening products use active
ingredients (such as mercurous chloride) and hydroquinone which are certainly
extremely harmful and caused skin cancer. Hydroquinone has now been banned in
Europe and in many other countries can only be prescribed by a doctor for
certain skin conditions.
In
Asian and African countries including The Gambia, banned chemicals are still
being used in skin lightening creams and can buy them in every corner in this
country and even at Banjul and Serekunda Marked as cheap as D15.
Skin
lightening/ bleaching is now a big deal in the Gambian society. It is such a
big deal that the Medical professionals see it important to embrace a campaign
geared at its discouragement in The Gambia. The practice is very serious
because it addresses common concerns about the yearning for beauty.
The
association with beauty, skin bleaching has become extremely popular. Every
human have a desire to feel and be perceived as beautiful, and as such my
concerns as medical professional about how to discourage people from it.
It
seems like an uphill battle to me–trying to convince the women in my every
day’s clinic to stop destroying their beautiful black skin when the colour
cards are staked up against them.
Skin
cancer is reported as one of the major causes of death amongst bleachers and
therefore it is just a matter of time before we have a full blown epidemic on
our hands. We must therefore strive to change behaviour by addressing physical,
mental, and symbolic remnants of light-skinned superiority and dark-skinned
inferiority which contributes to low self-esteem and confidence.
The
solution to the problem lies in need to examine what is being done nationally
to increase and inspire confidence about the beauty of the black skin and
denounce the age old belief/ saying, “Nutten Black nuhGood !”
Skin-lightening
creams are heavily promoted by many dermatologists and skin care experts to
even out cosmetic conditions like vitiligo, liver spots, and other superficial
blemishes.
What
are the risks
The
risk with these creams is that many of them contain a substance called
hydroquinone, which a variety of studies have linked to:
Increased
risk of cancer
Increased
risk of adrenal gland problems
Increased
risk of all health
Conditions
associated with mercury
Increased
risk of developing a rare metabolic disorder called ochronosis, which can cause
physical changes to the skin and tissues surrounding the eyes, ears, and joints
Citing
these and other potential dangers of using creams that contain hydroquinone,
this past Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S.put forth a
proposal to ban over-the-counter sales of skin-lightening products.
Don’t
expect dermatologists and the many companies who sell hundreds of different
skin-lightening products that contain hydroquinone to remain silent about the
FDA’s proposal.
According
to the L.A. Times, in the United States, approximately two-thirds of all
skin-lightening products are available over-the-counter without a prescription.
Who knows how many millions of dollars this translates to each month for
companies that produce these products?
If
you’re not convinced that skin-lightening products that contain hydroquinone
are best avoided, consider that hydroquinone has already been banned for sale
in the European Union, Australia, and Japan.
Perhaps
the real issue here is the lack of encouragement that our society offers to
people who feel badly about their physical appearances. There never seems to be
a shortage of plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and other sales people who
encourage people to change or hide what they don’t like about their looks.
Melanin
and pigmentation
Uneven
pigmentation affects most people, regardless of ethnic background or skin
colour. Skin may either appear lighter or darker than normal; there may be
blotchy, uneven areas, patches of brown to gray discoloration or freckling.
Skin pigmentation disorders occur because the body produces either too much or
too little melanin. Melanin is the pigment produced by skin cells. It is
triggered, which creates the colour of skin, eyes, and hair shades.
Melanin
has two major forms that combine to create varying skin tones. Eumelanin
produces a range of brown skin and hair colour, while pheomelanin imparts a
yellow to reddish hue.
Melanin
provides some amount of sun protection for the skin by absorbing ultraviolet
light. Darker skin collars are less susceptible to sunburn and the overall
effects of sun damage.
The
most popular bleaching creams contain 4% hydroquinone, a severely toxic and
very powerful chemical also used in photo-processing and rubber production that
can destroy the outer layer of the skin. However, cosmetic creams or treatments
contain hydroquinone have been completely banned in the UK since 2001 and are
illegal to supply, offer to supply or poses to supply.
Other
dangerous ingredients include Colic acid (also used to preserve pink and red colours
in seafood, has been linked to systemic toxicity and liver cancer); alpha
hydroxyl acid (also used in chemical skin peels, causes increased sensitivity
to the sun and UV light); and sodium hydroxide (also used in the manufacture of
pulp, paper textiles and detergents, can cause burns, scarring and blindness).
Legal
in the Gambia, Despite Cancer Potential
Hydroquinone,
a product used in some skin bleaching agents, could have dangerous health
consequences. The toxic substance is banned in the UK, but in The Gambia use of
hydroquinone in over-the-counter allowed. In the United States Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) says that testing cannot rule out hydroquinone’s potential cancer risk in
humans.
Skin
bleaching-using chemical or natural products to lighten skin colour-is common
in the US and other countries and some psychologists say consumer demand can be
traced to the belief that lighter-skinned or white people are more successful,
intelligent, and sexually desirable.
Cosmetics
industry experts feel that as Asian, African, and African-Caribbean communities
grow, so too will ethnic spending power for products marketed to lighten skin
tone, some containing hydroquinone. Cosmetics industry analysts say cosmetics
companies realize there’s money to be made here and claim minority communities
are an underserved market with a long tradition of buying bleaching products,
legal or otherwise. There has been a perceptible increase in skin creams,
soaps, and deodorants containing whitening and bleaching agents. Some experts
blame consumer demand on the media cantering on fair-skinned celebrities,
claiming the media promotes an image that those who are light-skinned are
successful and attractive.
Colourism
isn’t limited to any one ethnic group. Many in Africa are using bleaching cream
to lighten their skin because they associate lighter skin with beauty. Despite
attempts by the Ghanaian government to ban it, skin bleaching is on the rise.
Dermatologists
(Skin specialist) say bleaching creams with hydroquinone are safe to reduce the
appearance of age spots or smaller blemishes, but only if used as directed. But
other skin specialists say abusing products, for example by rubbing the product
on the entire face, neck, or body can be dangerous over time, saying that there
is no safe way to bleach skin beyond its natural colour. Other experts say that
skin bleaching, while very popular, contains toxic chemicals that are linked to
weakened immune systems, organ failure, and even death.
Initially,
the bleaching cream will appear to lighten the skin, but oxidation between the
sun and chemicals starts darkening the skin. At this point, increased use of
the cream tends to occur, causing the skin to break and chemicals to penetrate
into the bloodstream and reach major organs where serious damage can occur.
The
trend of skin bleaching in Africa is similar to that of tanning in the US.
People tan their skin because they think tanned skin is more beautiful. As with
skin bleaching, there are many risks involved with tanning. Evidence links UVA
rays to malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Overexposure to
any Ultra violate rays can cause loss of skin elasticity, premature aging, and
cancer; damage to the skin is irreversible.
Despite
all the risks, people continue to try to make them more beautiful with
dangerous methods like skin bleaching and tanning.
Finally
I certainly join many Doctors and beauticians who advise us that by eating
healthily, exercising and using body cream rich in Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and
Collagen Elastin will produce more fascinating effects than applying mere
bleaching creams to black skin colour.
For
further information see Health Professionals in various Clinics, E-Mail to
azadehhassan@yahoo.co.uk or text only to DR AZADEH on 7774469/3774469 during
the working hours between 3-6pm
Author:
DR AZADEH Senior Lecturer at the Medical School University of the Gambia,
Senior Consultant in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Clinical Director of
Medicare Health Services
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