"Before you know it, it has become some sort of an addiction where you want to maintain that look," said Dabota Lawson, a Lagos socialite and cosmetics entrepreneur. Deep-Seated Skin Bleaching Culture in Nigeria. Its very dangerous for pregnant women to take bleaching tablets, warns Catherine Tetteh, founder of the Melanin Foundation, a Geneva-based nongovernmental organisation that campaigns against skin bleaching. "I was very appalled. The vanishing black African woman: a compendium of the global skin-lightening practice. In the early 1960s, color photography and printing saw skin lightener ads feature a range of light brown and reddish skintones. Please complete this form to receive the HTML sharing code. She wants to be famous and says bleaching her skin could increase her chances at getting more movie roles. due to avian flu, B.C. These longstanding rituals have been the secret to flawless black skincare and are still valid today. I am not seeking to be totally white, I just want to look beautiful. For democracy to function, public figures need to be held to account for what they say. Beware not to startle your skin by introducing too many products at once. Eczema causes itchy, dry, irritated skin. Today, were going to take you through essential skincare routine steps. 13%. How Viagra became a new 'tool' for young men, Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/DIY/skin-color, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/717636, https://nationaleczema.org/research/eczema-facts/, https://nationaleczema.org/eczema-in-skin-of-color/, https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/fade-dark-spots, http://skinofcolorsociety.org/dermatology-education/eczema/, https://dermnetnz.org/topics/postinflammatory-hyperpigmentation/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15113287/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3560164/, https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/scars-treatment, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539693/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23652891/, https://jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=1877417. In Nigeria alone, 77 per cent of women -- by extrapolation, more than 60 million people -- are using lightening products on a "regular basis", the World Health Organization (WHO) said in 2011.. That is why we have to advise them first before selling it to them said Lawal. "Oyinbo is supposedly better," says Rotinwa. In the early 1990s, activists convinced the government to ban all cosmetic skin lighteners containing known depigmenting agents and to prohibit cosmetic advertisements from making any claims to bleach, lighten or whiten skin. Get some tips on preventing scars or making them less. In some cases they may not list the names of banned ingredients on their products packaging. These effects are known as hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation, respectively. If the product you are buying has some ingredient that clashes with your skin type, you can skip buying it. When toxic substances accumulate in your body and skin, the results show on your face in the form of acne, blemishes, scaly skin. Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya have all banned skin bleaching products with high amounts of hydroquinone and mercury, with the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa urging people to "reject all colonial notions of beauty". It helps remove acne and revitalize your ageing skin. By the twentieth century, mass-produced skin lightening creams ranked among the worlds most popular cosmetics. He only gives certain dosages for a limited amount of time, he said. 3 Side effects of skin bleaching. An effective skincare routine does not have to include countless steps and sophisticated products. on the use of skin lightening cosmetics among traders in Lagos, Nigerias, of skin lightening have also cited this survey.). We must open up a conversation around skin colour and beauty. scar surgery. . If many millions of Africans lighten their skin without regret, others are dismayed. a harm associated with [unregulated] product use, she told Africa Check. However, a method can help you choose the most suitable beauty product for yourself. Tina Ohanu says she doesn't need to bleach her skin. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. My new book explores this layered history from the vantage point of South Africa. She has yet to speak about the social media uproar. As the outer skin cells gradually reach the surface, they mature and eventually die. Ayobode Williams, a medical doctor, says the skin bleaching agents have both internal and external effects on those who use them. Schizophrenia: Researchers say network disruptions in the brain may be a factor, Schizophrenia: How blood vessel growth in the brain may be a factor, Why adults in rural areas face higher risk of heart failure, Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT, The best ways to get rid of dark spots on black skin. This puts a small but noteworthy dent in the global trade in skin lighteners, estimated to reach US$31.2 billion by 2024. So overestimating their use may not be a public health danger, an expert said. "The first time I saw the ad, I thought it was problematic," recalls Ayodeji Rotinwa, a journalist based in Nigeria. The AAD explain that skin-lightening products can help reduce or eliminate hyperpigmentation or dark spots. The treatment of the scar depends on its cause and prominence. The dangers associated with the use of toxic compounds for skin bleaching include blood cancers such as leukemia and cancers of the liver and kidneys as well as severe skin conditions. So there isnt a public health danger per se in overestimating their use, said, Maia Lesosky, a biostatistician and associate professor at, Overestimation may lead to increased scrutiny by policy makers or such because there. The Active Bamboo Anti-aging Whitening Cream is good for the whole body, face, arms, neck, knees, underarms, armpits, black skin, men, and sensitive areas. But they are well-advised to steer clear. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 77 percent of women in Nigeria use skin-lightening products, the worlds highest percentage. Femi attributes skin bleaching to a feeling that foreign products and images must, by definition, be good. For those of u claiming the word "fairer" mean beautifulTakeDown ya SelfHate billboards in Africa. In this photo taken Feb. 15, 2011, a woman applies skin lightening cream to her legs as she sits on a curb in Kingston, Jamaica. Through the Africa Renewal digital magazine and social media platforms, webinars with youth groups, media relations, and other outreach and partnership efforts, we present a new narrative about Africa thatshowcases positive action and hope, while countering mostly negative stereotypical portrayals of Africa. She initially sought to bleach her hyperpigmentation (dark patches on the skin) but then decided to maintain a light complexion overall. It inhibits the formation of melanin by rendering the enzyme tyrosinase inactive; and it exfoliates the tanned, outer layers of the skin through the production of hydrochloric acid. Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically. 3.3 Skin cancer. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 77% of women in Nigeria use skin lightening products - the world's highest percentage. The baby's mother explained that she had mixed a steroid cream with shea butter and slathered his skin with it in order to make it whiter. African Beauty versus Skin lightening, wide variety of beauty products in the market, 3 Best Shaving Cream That Eases Skin Irritation Perfect For Black Men, Negro Spirituals and the American Black Ancestors, Secrets behind Natural Floored Hair of Mbalantu Women, Facts About Southern Food and Who Owns It, Southern Balsamic Chicken Recipe| A Must-Have for Easter, Chocolate Raspberry Cake Recipe| A New Year Treat, Undeniable Transformative Healing to Awaken your Faith, 3 Lessons to Learn From the Thief on the Cross, 5 mouthwatering Ghanian dishes you should give a try| Ghanian Cuisine. Now several shades lighter she says her new skin makes her feel more beautiful and confident. (n.d.). That hasn't always been the case, Shoneyin adds. Akinnifesi, who first came into the limelight in 2005 after winning the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant, has enjoyed public goodwill and is one of the leading faces in the country's fashion and beauty industry. You know most times dark people tend towill I say resist? They say black is beautiful with the so-called Melanin Movement.. Many skin lightening creams contain hydroquinone, which is known to decrease melanocytes. Media reports in a number of countries say 77% of Nigerian women use skin lightening cosmetics. These chemicals could have a range of side effects when used regularly, according to skin experts. African countries, including Ghana, Cte dIvoire and most recently Rwanda, have begun banning skin-lightening products. Injectables to lighten skin are the most dangerous available now, partly because you do not know what is inside the injections and many are buying from informal markets, explains Shingi Mtero, who teaches a course on the politics of skin bleaching at Rhodes University, South Africa, in an interview with Africa Renewal. And many studies relied on participants to self-report, which may have skewed the findings. Some of the most common causes of scarring include acne, eczema, wounds, and sunburn. I cannot stop using the lightening agents, she adds. Media are invited to republish Africa Renewal articles free of charge, and to give us credit, using the following language: This story was originally published by Africa Renewal. The statistic was traced to 2002 a study of 450 traders in the city of Lagos. In early 2022, Hush'D Makeover, a made-in-Nigeria skincare brand featured Big Brother Naija season six ex-housemate, Maria Chike . 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But whether the tide of opinion is turning in Africa itself is another question. Super-benefits of humble charcoal? The online sale of skin lighteners is relatively new, but the in-person traffic is very old. You will need a facial cleanser to wash off impurities. Moisturizing,Anti Wrinkle,firming Facial . Before starting any new nonprescribed cream, people of color should speak with their doctor, who may refer them to a dermatologist. "She did it because she thought that was beauty," says author Lola Shoneyin. , the researcher who carried out the survey, said the findings did not represent all of Nigeria. Some clinical therapies that reduce raised scars include: However, not all clinical therapies are suitable for treating scarring on dark skin, as some may cause unwanted hyperpigmentation. There is no publicly available data to support the claim, and experts say claims like this encourage medical xenophobia. The beauty industry in Africa is worth several billion dollars and increases by 8 to 10 percent every year. This prohibition was the first of its kind and the regulations immediately shuttered the in-country manufacture of skin lighteners. 3.4 Exogenous ochronosis (EO) 3.5 Steroid acne. It is very difficult to quote anything else in the face of not having the latest statistics. In July, Ghana's Food and Drugs Authority issued a statement telling pregnant women not to take glutathione pills to bleach their unborn babies saying that there may be "serious toxic side effects" such as "asthma, renal failure and chest pains.". While these moves help promote natural and healthy skin tone, however, the Melanin Movement is still dwarfed by Africans' demand for skin-lightening products. Pet owners are responding to a home concoction shared on social media. Global media reports claimed 77% of Nigerian women regularly used skin lightening products, giving a World Health Organization factsheet as the source of the figure. Skin lighteners can be physically harmful. According to one estimate, more than 70 million people in Nigeria use skin-lightening products regularly, making Africa's most populous country the capital for skin bleaching. Dr. Sobande said: "We're living in a more positive environment than a few years before. Nivea, a German company with global reach, has been called out on social media for ads in West Africa that many described as racist, colorist and tone-deaf. In the movie industry most times the director wants you to like glow, in fact you should be camera friendly. South Africas regulations testify to the broader antiracist political movement from which they emerged. Intravenous glutathione treatments can lighten skin, and the product can now also be obtained in the form of antioxidant supplement tablets, writes Aneri Pattani, in an article on the topic for the New York Times. Experts say the African market is rapidly expanding as companies seek to cash in on the continent's booming youth population. Learn more about eczema on black skin here. Lightening creams are not effectively regulated in Nigeria where even roadside vendors sell tubes and plastic bags of powders and ointments from cardboard boxes stacked along sidewalks in market districts. How can home remedies get rid of my old scar? https://t.co/OB2PtJrO6N. Ghanas Food and Drugs Authority warns it has not approved any glutathione products either for oneself or in the form of a tablet to lighten the skin of an unborn child.. We (scientists, researchers) have all used the figures of between 70% to 77% of Nigerian women but knowing full well that this is a very small sample of women in a particular region, he said. They said the results backed up the WHOs finding . A new skin-bleaching treatment that is catching on is the intravenous application of glutathionea natural antioxidant produced by the liver. Customers should start seeing results in two weeks, says Okiemute, explaining that his creams, which include collagen, kojic acid and "anti-ageing" snail slime are safe, though he declined to divulge his formula. But it wasn't long before she saw it with her own eyes. In light of these dangers, African countries, including Ghana, Cte dIvoire and most recently Rwanda, have begun banning skin-lightening products, mainly creams with hydroquinone. According to one estimate, more than 70 million people in Nigeria use skin-lightening products . 7. Hashtags such as #skinwhitening and #yellowbone, advertising skin products that supposedly deliver immediate results and lead to a happier life, saturate social media platforms, especially Instagram. Help us keep it that way by supporting our work. And oyinbo is the standard worldwide." Not all scarring treatments are appropriate for black skin, so it is best to speak with a dermatologist. For the best results, a person should speak with a dermatologist. "More clients want insight on the lightening market," said Rubab Abdoolla, a beauty analyst at market researchers Euromonitor International. According to a 2011 estimate from the World Health Organization, 76 million Nigerians, mostly women, use skin-lightening products regularly. Many of the tubes are unlabelled as to their actual ingredients. This is is where the palm kernel oil comes in handy. People may wish to use topical lotions and ointment to alleviate their dry, cracked, and itchy skin. African Beauty versus Skin lightening. According to 2011 statistics compiled by the World Health Organisation, at least 77% of Nigerian women use whiteners. "Skin bleaching is one manifestation of folks trying to get power and privilege aligned with whiteness," said Yaba Blay, a researcher at North Carolina Central University. 1. The ingredients in these products may include: However, when buying a skin-lightening product, it is essential to ensure that it is from a reputable retailer. "We try to discourage that," he said. An assessment published by WHO in 2011 stated that about 77 per cent of Nigerian women uses skin-lightening products, the highest in the world. And how might its most toxic elements be curtailed? Eczema in skin of color: What you need to know. Nigeria has the worlds highest percentage of women using skin lightening agents in the quest for beauty. Cultural watchdogs, for their part, see it as the toxic legacy of colonialism. Chemical peeling in ethnic/dark skin [Abstract]. We are now educating people and seizing those illegal products, says Francois Uwinkindi, director of the Cancer Diseases Unit within Rwandas Ministry of Health. "It's a mindset that has eaten into society. Africa is experiencing a massive trend of skin bleaching, also called lightening or whitening, particularly in teenagers and young adults. For a lot of people, it's the path to getting a good job, having a relationship.". Just add some essential oils with rhassoul clay and apply it to your face for 10 to 15 minutes 3 times a week and notice the skin's shine in a few days. A lot of people dont readily have this information. Skin bleaching comes with hazardous health consequences. This ad appeared in an issue of the Central and East African edition of Drum magazine. Milk Cream For Korean Glass Skin skin whitening natural cream #shorts #ytshorts #skincare #youtubeshorts #diy #nightcream #smbeautylandstudio If home remedies are not working, it is best to seek a dermatologists help. Seasonal tanning embodied new forms of white privilege. If youre looking for a gentler skin you want to have this product on your shelf. Africa Check values your trust and is committed to the responsible management, use and protection of personal information. She pointed out problems in studies made so far, including the ones discussed in this report. Must read: The Sun Is Out, Sunscreen Is In: Skin Cancer Prevention in the Black Community. I was darker, today. Your skin is composed of many layers of cells. Skin lighteners became primarily associated with people of colour. cryosurgery. The continual use of these creams eventually leads to a dependence or addiction because when they are discontinued, the skin returns to its original color, according to researchers Meagan Jacobs, Susan Levine, Kate Abney and Lester Davids in their study Fifty Shades of African Lightness: A Bio-Psychosocial Review of the Global Phenomenon of Skin Lightening Practices. Ngan, V. (2015). 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