Men and women bleach their skin to look white. According to
research by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigerians have been graded as
the nation with the highest consumption of bleaching products: 77% of Nigerian
women bleach, followed by Togo with 59% while South Africa with 35%; and Mali
at 25%, making it the top four nations that bleach their skin.
A lot of it is down to low self-esteem. Cosmetologists are
making a lot of money off the bleachers even though the risks of contracting
skin cancer on the long run is high. The business of whitening lotion is a
multi-million dollar business. Many of the components of the skin-lightening creams
are not only fake but also harmful to the skin. Some years ago, products that
contains hydroquinone and mercury were banned in Nigeria but somehow they found
their ways back to the shelves with women using it.
According to Paul Orhii, the director general of the
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Nigeria,
bleaching creams are not approved but one way or the other, they are smuggled
illegally into the country:
“The use of Glutathione as a skin whitener is not approved.
The alarming increase in the unapproved use of Glutathione administered
intravenously as a skin-whitening agent at very high doses is unsafe and may result
in serious consequences. Furthermore, other chemicals that have been medically
proven to be injurious to health such as Hydroquinone above 2%, and topical
Corticosteroids have also been incorporated into cosmetic products for skin
lightening or skin toning. Banned chemicals also include Boric acid and Lanolin
in baby products. The use of these chemicals in cosmetic products can cause
various ranges of skin deformation, injury to skin and cancers. This unethical
practice by manufacturers, coupled with ignorance on the part of consumers, has
left many skins permanently damaged.”
Recently, Ivory Coast, banned bleaching creams in the
country. Despite this directive, the business thrives illegally in the country.
“The number of people with side effects caused by these
medicines is really high,” said Christian Doudouko, who is a current member of
Ivory Coast’s pharmaceutical authority. He also added that such products causes
skin cancer.
“Mercury is the very dangerous chemical that medical
officials found in the skin lightening creams that sickened the women. It can
damage the kidneys and wreak havoc on the nervous system,” Dr. Susan Taylor,
dermatologist said.
“Skin cancer and hyperpigmetation will catch up with them
sooner than later, they cannot escape it, what do you expect when you have
removed the different layers of the skin over the years, the epidermis – which
is the protective wrap that serves as a barrier to infections. Bleaching is
harmful to the skin and also the organs,” explained Dr. Eunice Chukwu, an
Abuja-based dermatologist.
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