SKIN-BLEACHING, IS IT WORTHY?

Well, one would ask what skin-bleaching means. According to the dictionary, the word ‘bleach’ means to make something lighter or whiter. It is rather obvious that a bleaching agent is used which happens to be a chemical by all means possible. However, a bleaching agent not only contains one chemical but two or even more. The two most common ingredients are hydroquinone and mercury.

1. Hydroquinone lightens the colour of the skin areas to which it is applied by killing off the melanin-making cells—the melanocytes. It is also the active ingredient in ‘fade-off’ creams for freckles, age spots, etc.  
2. Mercury-based bleaching creams contain ammonia-ted mercury as a bleaching agent. Some of these creams may contain up to more than 2-5% mercury that will be harmful to health. Thus resulting in mercury poisoning, especially chronic mercury poisoning, may result.

 The major question here is why do people bleach their skin? The responses: some say that they feel better about themselves; they receive more attention from the opposite sex; they experience more romance; they get better job/economic opportunities; they bleach to clear up spots; they just like how lighter skin looks; they prefer a cool complexion and they do it as a fashion statement.

On the other flip side of the coin, that is, the opinion of those who do not bleach their skin, the responses are: those who skin-bleach are faced with an ethnicity identity crisis; they have low self-esteem about themselves (with black natural skin); they are brainwashed by the media and poor-thinking people around them; they are up to fads. 
Let’s assume the opinions of those who skin-bleach and those who don't  matters not for now. In life, we encounter lots of variety world over and this fact greatly contributes to the beauty of nature. One can put it this way; variety is the spice of life such as variety in food, clothes, hairstyles, political ideologies, music etc. Variety also abounds in nature. That is why all people on Earth belong to different types of skin colours, from white to yellow and to black. Due to our different living environments, God created us with different skin colours. For example, in cold climatic regions such as Europe, inhabitants tend to have a lighter complex due to the cold weather, whereas in Africa, darker skin is better suited in the hot and humid climate. So, when one in the hot and humid tropical climate bleaches his/her skin, they defy nature, which is not a cool idea whatsoever.  Actually many beauticians and doctors advise us that by eating healthily, exercising and using body cream rich in Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and Collagen Elastin will produce more fascinating effects than applying mere bleaching creams.

Bleaching mechanism

Melanin is the dark-brown pigment in the skin which makes us dark. Melanin protects the skin from the cancer-causing ultraviolet rays of the sun. The more melanin our skin produces, the darker we appear. Lighter skin has less melanin. So, an effective way to attain lighter skin is to reduce the amount of melanin in the skin. This is exactly what bleaching products do.

Insights on skin-bleaching effects

Bleaching products kill melanocytes, skin cells which produce the pigment, melanin. No melanin, no colour. Exposure of the dermis layer, due to reduction of melanin, to the harsh weather will increase the incidence of skin cancer. The dermis cannot compensate for the absence of the melanin and coupled with the hot sun

Some of these creams may contain up to more than 2-5% mercury that will be harmful to health. Thus resulting in mercury poisoning, especially chronic mercury poisoning, may result. In the Minimata epidemic in Japan, there were 42 brain-damaged children in 400 live births. Only one of the mothers had no sign of having mercury poisoning. Majority of the mothers had used mercury-based bleaching creams during her childbearing years.

Other side effects include: thin skin, steroid acnes (bumps), permanent linear stretch-marks scars due to weak skin elasticity and a high risk of having skin infections.

Finally, due to the entrance of steroids (an ingredient in some bleaching creams) into the blood stream, one may have: increased blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, glaucoma and cataracts

To bleach or not to bleach? Is it worthwhile to risk the high chances of causing damage to our precious teeth, skin or hair, in exchange for our perceived view of beauty? Some say that ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ and ‘Being natural is beauty in itself’. What do you think?

Heh! Here are some home-made skin bleaching items include toothpaste, household bleach, toilet bowl cleaner, curry powder, hair relaxer, lime and honey, cornmeal and milk powder.( This not to tell you to go do it yourself at a cheaper rate. Remember cheap is expensive and nevertheless, hope you do not skin-bleach at all)