Skin whitening, skin lightening, and skin bleaching refer to the practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to lighten skin tone or provide an even skin complexion by lessening the concentration of melanin. This is very common in Jamaica and despite people knowing the danger of this practice there seems to be an increase island wide. The first person that will come to Jamaicans mind when they hear about skin bleaching is vybz kartel but this has been going on long before he started doing it, the only thing i will agree with is that he made it popular in a fashion sense. Several chemicals have been shown to be effective in skin whitening, while some have proved to be toxic or have questionable safety profiles, adding to the controversy surrounding their use and impacts on certain ethnic groups.
A survey carried out by the British Skin Foundation found that 16% of dermatologists believe lightening creams are ‘completely unsafe’ and 80% feel they are only safe when prescribed by a dermatologist.
Unfortunately, many skin-lightening creams contain illegal compounds that can damage your health, the most common compounds are high-dose steroids. Some creams also contain hydroquinone, a bleaching agent that is banned from use in cosmetics (but can be prescribed by doctors for medical reasons).
In March 2009, a man who sold unlicensed medicines and banned cosmetics, including skin-lightening creams containing corticosteroids and hydroquinone, was ordered to pay £80,000 in fines, costs and repayment of illegal earnings.
Skin lightening risks
Although steroids can be useful in treating some skin diseases, such as psoriasis and eczema, this must take place under the supervision of a skin specialist.Unmonitored use of high-dose steroids can lead to many problems,
Skin lightening creams can cause:
- permanent skin bleaching
- thinning of skin
- uneven colour loss, leading to a blotchy appearance
- redness and
- intense irritation
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