How dangerous are skin whitening creams?

[Ismahaan]

For 1 month a go, I was asked by my University of biomedical science section to write a literature review on the effect of skin whitening and bleaching products. I was surprised by the results. My concern is the safety of these creams that Somali women use. Looking at the some articles and meeting many scientist there were quite a lot of women who were treated by doctors for problems arising from abuse of these creams. Today millions of women in the world use skin whitening product to look good even thought this beauty regime destroyed the outer layer of skin and can cause lots of dangerous diseases such as liver damage, leukemia, and skin cancer, thyroid disorders, in animal mutations in developing fetuses and in pregnancy women possibility of birth defect. Women love the beauty but they forget that the skin is an organ that serves very important body functions. Our skin is part of our respiratory system, releasing waste, creating natural oils to prevent moisture loss and over –hydration. Our skin also protects us from harmful invading micro-organisms and plays a major role in immunity. Skin bleaching or whitening products use does not respect these bodily functions -it destroys them.

 

According to international biomedical science research section, “most women have no clue that skin whitening products could cause harm. They tend to think that the new “miracle “ingredients are coming from years of scientific discovery and are secure. Wrong! Most of the ingredients have been around for many years and are far away from safe and sound. The cosmetics business is a self-regulated industry and as quoted by international health toxicologist their products are not adequately tested. Skin whiting creams contain hydroquinone, steroids, alpha hydroxyl acids, mercury, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and other harmful skin bleaching substances. The long term use of these products may cause coetaneous adverse effects side. Most female adult population of Somalia use skin lightening creams include: MOVATE CREAM, DARK & LOVELY CREAM, FADE OUT CREAM, RICO COMPLEXION CREAM, BETNOVATE, DERMOVATE ETC. other creams such as rose and Diana have also harmful effect side. They can cause cancer especially if you don’t avoid the sun as it damage or peels of the outer layer of your skin which is needed to protect you from the sun.

 

advice and warning for those who are interested in lightening their skin please do not use these products as they contain high doses of harmful chemical bleaching and/or skin whitening agents that have harmful side effects. Most of skin whitening creams containing these chemicals are banned due to harmful ingredients thought they are still on marked. For more information of what creams are banned and their effect sides please check these links:

1) http://www.whiterskin.com/banned-skin-bleaching.html

2)http://www.counterpunch.org/mire07282005.html

3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_whitening

4) http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/viewfa.php?id=1788

 

Some important questions about this issue

1) What do you think of this subject??

2) Women are beauty as they are why do they want to make their skin whiter?

3) Most creams are banned but are still in business as they are popular with the women around the world, many are manufactured and sold in Europe and America and exported to Africa, what do you think of this??

4) Do you think men share some of the responsibility for women using skin whitening product because they prefer fair-skinned women?

5) How educated are women about the dangers of using these creams?

6) In overall why women around the world go to extremes to look a certain way?

 

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