Skin Whitening: yeah it’s a thing. For whatever reason, many places all around the world regard light skin as being superior. For this reason, many new products that alter or claim to alter the color of your skin has become very popular. Must like tanning, these products such as creams, bleaches, chemical peels, pills, etc. are very harmful to your skin. However, there are various aspects to consider regarding this issue.
1.) Why In The World?
You may ask why anyone would want to change their skin color. It’s usually not due to diseases, such as in Micheal Jackson’s case, but for a desire to look “more beautiful.” In many countries, being dark was associated with the lower class or less educated, because they usually had jobs working out in the sun. ( Much like how the more fat you had, the richer you were. However now, thin is the new obsession.) Another reason is that in these countries, celebrities endorse these products to back up the idea of light skin being beautiful because the products are unbelieveably profitable. Also, due to the lack of intervention, these harsh chemicals and bleaches are not banned as they probably would have been in the US if the practice was as rampant. The main reason however, is that we are a generation of people who are obsessed with our looks and believe that the possible harm these things can cause are worth it.
2.) Harmful Effects
According to this website, the effects include but are not limited to:
“
- Dark grey spots
- Skin cancer
- Acne
- Swelling of the skin
- Thinning of the skin
- Cataracts
- Setting down of fat on face, chest, upper back and stomach
- Increase in appetite and weight gain
- Osteoporosis
- Neurological and kidney damage due to high level of mercury used in the creams
- Psychiatric disorders
- Severe birth defects
- Asthma
- Liver damage”
Clutch Magazine talks about how until 2 women ACTUALLY DIED from this process, no one payed much attention.
3.) If You Still Don’t Care…
This is not only something that is of concern to women. A lot of males have tried using skin whiteners such as the famous Sammy Sosa, who was in the Chicago Cubs.
There are many people who will read this and regard it as another this we’re not supposed to do but will continue to do anyways. However, unlike drinking or smoking you actually CAN get the same results in a natural way. Some of these ways include changing your diet to include more water and healthy foods, or using limes or lemons, which are natural bleaches.
All in all, skin whitening IS RACISM. We should not be promoting or insinuating under any circumstances that one skin color is better than another. Perhaps the consequences of skin whitening aren’t only to those who practice it, but to society as a whole. 