"In the African industry the lighter your skin tone the more beautiful you are. The code has been copied to your clipboard. The poll was of 1,000 phone-owning Nigerians who the researchers said had been randomly selected. Black people may also have other symptoms, such as dark circles around the eyes. Vitamin C, also a common ingredient in skin lightening creams, is an antioxidant that is known to lower melanin production in our cells. But the agency. Solomon is not alone. 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. Ngan, V. (2015). 3 Side effects of skin bleaching. At his clinic on the outskirts of Lagos, beside an abandoned Chinese restaurant, plastic surgeon Aranmolate Ayobami charges clients 150,000 naira ($415, 350 euros) for a five-week course of glutathione injections. Recommended: Is Black not Beautiful? Colonisers cast melanin-rich hues as the embodiment of ugliness and inferiority. Get some tips on preventing scars or making them less. It will elevate a woman., She adds, Proponents of depigmentation maintain the illusion that lighter skin will allow them to find better jobs, and to seduce more easily.. Skin-lightening products are sold on Amazon, an e-commerce marketplace. (Unep). In Lagos, the creams are assembled by a legion of cosmetologists and sold at a price anywhere from 5,000 naira to 20,000 naira ($14-55, 12-47 euros), a prohibitive amount in a country where the minimum wage is just 18,000 naira ($50, 42 euros). But medical experts say that in Africa -- a continent where regulations are often lax or scorned -- the widening phenomenon is laden with health risks. "The first time I saw the ad, I thought it was problematic," recalls Ayodeji Rotinwa, a journalist based in Nigeria. Check out the ingredients, and you would be able to tell if that product will suit you or not. Support independent fact-checking in Africa. Bleaching products work by lowering the number of melanocytes in your skin. And there's almost no other data on skin lightener use in Nigeria. The study revealed that 77 . Lately, skin care companies in Ghana and other African countries are increasingly using glutathione, trying to appeal to pregnant women aiming to lighten the skins of their babies in utero. These products aim to promote healing and prevent scarring. The media, particularly the fashion It's usually used to improve the appearance of blemishes such as birthmarks and melasma (dark patches). An ad of a skin whitening cosmetic product in Kumasi, Ghana. "You can have stretch marks, the skin becomes fragile, doesn't heal properly, sometimes you can havesome of them can give you abnormal skin odor, abnormal odor, excessive sweating, poor wound healingso, and then it ages faster, Haroun said. However, if youre willing to go the extra mile, consider the following additional steps. 4.3 out of 5 (6) Add To Cart. June 4, 2013. "I saw the Nivea ad once. Skin bleaching comes with hazardous health consequences. But the World Health Organisation warns that skin bleaching can cause liver and kidney damage, psychosis, brain damage in fetuses and cancer. cryosurgery. So she spends her meager savings on cheap black-market concoctions that promise to lighten her pigment. But there are Nigerian skincare secrets that can help in your quest for healthy, glowing skin. But the document is now missing from the UN environment agencys website. 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. 11 But there are Nigerian skincare secrets that can help in your quest for healthy, glowing skin. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 77% of women in Nigeria use skin lightening products - the world's highest percentage. Drum, September 1961. Many of the tubes are unlabelled as to their actual ingredients. Are these claims true? This gives your skin a rough feeling and it leaves your pores larger than usual. Your skin is composed of many layers of cells. that Nigeria has the highest number of women that use skin-lightening products in the world. The topics we cover include sustainable development, climate action, agriculture, youth voices, womens empowerment, health, the African Continental Free Trade Area and other regional integration efforts, technology and innovation, peace and security, economic development and more. ", The statement also said that the product is meant to "protect the skin from long-term sun damage and premature skin-ageing" and also address "uneven skin tone" and that it is "every consumer's right to choose products according to their personal preferences.". In most people, the skin will eventually return to its original appearance, but this may take several months. Bona, May 1959. Former Nigerian beauty queen Omowunmi Akinnifesi is featured, gazing into space, a sly smile playing on the sides of her lips. This is where vitamin E comes in handy. 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. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 77 percent of women in Nigeria use skin-lightening products, the worlds highest percentage. Members of the non-profit The Beautywell Project teamed up with the Sierra Club to convince the online retail giant to stop selling skin lightening products that contain mercury. Ayobode Williams, a medical doctor, says the skin bleaching agents have both internal and external effects on those who use them. Is the ketogenic diet right for autoimmune conditions? 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. Roberts, W. E. (2004). "She did it because she thought that was beauty," says author Lola Shoneyin. Other conditions that can cause scarring on black skin include: Raised scars are significantly thickened areas of skin that may require medical treatment. hospital in Enugu found that 58.7% of patients, most of them (75%) women, were using skin lightening products. Its not something you decide one day that I want to be fair, I want to be like Michael Jackson and you become Michael Jackson all of a sudden. Your skin is composed of many layers of cells. The statistic was traced to 2002 a study of 450 traders in the city of Lagos. For instance, while 77.3% of traders in Lagos State practiced skin lightening 10 48.1% of university undergraduates in Maiduguri used SLP. 2 Skin bleaching in Nigeria. You cannot skip moisturizing if you want soft and smooth skin. After World War II, the negative environmental and health impact of mercury became more apparent. The trade in skin lighteners, nonetheless, continued as other active ingredients most notably hydroquinone replaced ammoniated mercury. Chemical peeling in ethnic/dark skin [Abstract]. Some men too are involved in the practice. 3.9 out of 5 . 10 REASONS WOMEN BLEACH THEIR SKIN | THE OPEN SECRETS OF NIGERIAN WOMENHi!I'm Glory Elijah; a Nigerian YouTuber, Nigerian Vlogger, Lagos Vlogger, you name it. Experts say the African market is rapidly expanding as companies seek to cash in on the continent's booming youth population. Twenty-five-year-old Nigerian model and actress Goodness Ben visits a cosmetic shop in Abuja. Data on skin-whitening creams consumption in Africa. Skin lighteners ranked among the most commonly used personal products in black urban households. 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. A full-color. Other equally important functions include the production of vitamin D for healthy bones and regulating temperature. 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. In early 2022, Hush'D Makeover, a made-in-Nigeria skincare brand featured Big Brother Naija season six ex-housemate, Maria Chike . She has yet to speak about the social media uproar. Overuse of steroid creams over a long period can cause thinning or weakening of the skin, stretch marks and easy bruising. The above are the best African beauty secrets that are best suitable for flawless skin. For centuries and even millennia, elites used paints and powders to create smoother, paler appearances, unblemished by illness and the suns darkening and roughening effects. The reasons for this are varied but most people say they use skin-lighteners because they want white skin. The vanishing black African woman: a compendium of the global skin-lightening practice. When your body is exposed to certain conditions like pollution free radicals are generated. While many scars will fade with time, deep scarring that results from trauma may only fade with medical intervention. ", Sadly, this is a worldwide pathology, created by colonialism, exploited by marketers. My book also attends to intersecting dynamics of class and gender, changing beauty ideals and the expansion of consumer capitalism. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stresses that it has not given approval for any of the injections on the market today. Skin-lightening products, also known as skin brighteners or bleaching creams . The review concludes that although retinoids are safe and beneficial for people with skin of color, they may cause irritation in those with sensitive skin. There is little other data on the use of skin lighteners in Nigeria. Some women reject the trend, saying their natural dark skin is beautiful. "He had very large boils all over his body," the soft-spoken 27-year-old Nigerian told AFP. My study was conducted among traders in Lagos. It has been. Also, deep cleaning removes any collected impurities that may be clinging to your skin. Do I need to be fairer?". There is no publicly available data to support the claim, and experts say claims like this encourage medical xenophobia. They think bleaching is gege, he told Al Jazeera, using a Nigerian term for cool. Nigerias 'Melanin Movement' Swims Against a Skin-Whitening Tide. As eczema causes itchiness, it is a normal response to scratch the skin. "These chemicals damage respiratory, kidney and reproductive systems," an official from the Nigerian drug control agency warned. Recent Comments. She says most of her customers are in a great haste to lighten their skin. Yet few seem to pay attention to these dangers. ", Nivea's response: "We have recently noted concerns on social media by some consumers regarding our NIVEA Natural Fairness Body Lotion communication in Ghana. A 2013 review suggests that retinoids may help lessen complications from acne, such as hyperpigmentation. This can be attributed to shea butters antioxidant, which strengthens and protect your skin from damaging. Cosmetic users in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome created dramatic appearances by pairing skin whiteners containing lead or chalk with black eye makeup and red lip colourants. It was distressing," said Sobande. Active ingredients in skin lighteners have ranged from acidic compounds like lemon juice and milk to harsher chemicals like sulfur, arsenic, and mercury. And the skin lightening products are popular. 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. We must open up a conversation around skin colour and beauty. . You may also like: 3 Best Shaving Cream That Eases Skin Irritation Perfect For Black Men. By combining antiracist, health, and environmentalist arguments, activists held one of the worlds most powerful companies accountable. Bootleg. 2023 - Africa Check - All rights reserved. There is a wide variety of beauty products in the market, and it can be an overwhelming choice to pick the best beauty secrets that suit your preference. Natural dark skin is composed of many layers of cells be able to tell if product. 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