The Dangerous Trend of Skin Lightening READY FOR REVIEW BY LUCY

What is skin lightening, why do people do it, and what are the risks you should know about?

Skin lightening, or skin bleaching, is a cosmetic procedure to lighten your skin colour, often by using creams. Doctors may give people skin lightening products for skin blemishes, such as birth marks or dark patches.

However, increasing numbers of people are using skin lightening products without doctor prescriptions, to lighten their overall skin. It’s becoming a global multi-billion industry, even in the UK. To many of us, it may seem strange to want to lighten your skin. A lot of people often try to achieve the very opposite with fake tan and sun beds. But for some people with darker skin in the UK, lightening or bleaching creams are part of their daily skincare routine.

Risks

Many skin lightening products are banned in the UK because they can have serious side effects and often contain dangerous chemicals. This doesn’t mean that people don’t use them. Instead, the creams are sold illegally. Creams often contain hydroquinone, steroid medications, or other harmful substances, such as mercury. Regular use of these creams can have serious side effects, including skin cancer, thinning of the skin, large black patches on the skin, and kidney, liver or nerve damage.

Why do people do it?

People who use skin lightening products are often aware of the side effects. So what motivates them to do it? Unfortunately, we live in a society where white people often receive more opportunities and advantages than people from racial minority backgrounds. This deep-rooted racism may influence people’s decision to lighten their skin. Even major cosmetics brands are selling the lie that lighter skin is more beautiful.

In 2017, Nivea released a campaign featuring a skin cream that would lighten black skin. In it, a black model applied the moisturiser. Shortly after, a man complimented her for her fair skin. Dove also recently released an advert featuring a black women turning into a white woman after using Dove body lotion. There are also countless vloggers who advertise ways to lighten your skin. Given all this, it’s easy to see some of the reasons why people may use skin lightening or bleaching products.

What can we do about it?

There’s definitely not one solution to reducing skin bleaching practices. But there’s a few things we can do.

1. Firstly, if you’re thinking of using these products, be sure to know the risks before you make a decision.

2. Shout loud and demand that beauty brands stop promoting racist ideas of beauty. Tweet them. Write to them. Do whatever you need to do to be heard.

3. Challenge your friends, family and even strangers if they tell you that only white skin is beautiful or try to give you skin lightening cream. Follow Khoudia Diop on Instagram for inspiration and proof that all skin colours are beautiful.

And after you’ve done all of the above, stop and remember.

You are already valuable and beautiful.

You don’t need to change your skin or any other part of your body.

You are worthy.

Read More

https://fumble.org.uk/ten-affirmations-positive-mind/