A good
number of individuals would like to change the colour of their skin. They will
always like to look unnatural. I wonder why someone who is black will want to
become white. Most people who bleach their skin do that for cosmetic purposes.
Most do that just because they see others do. Most people skin-bleach to enable
them maintain their beauty during aging. Whatever may be your reason for
bleaching is best known to you. Can we officially say that the skincare industry
is officially the place to be? First we had “Tiannah Glow” from Fashion
Designer Toyin Lawani (Tiannah Styling) and then we had
“Crystal Glam” from Nollywood Actress Oge Okoye. Now,
Nigerian/Cameroonian Musician Dencia is out with her skincare
line “Whitenicious” by Dencia. Rara Avis, is a UK trained cosmetologist,
beautician and skincare expert. She is also the brain behind some Nigerian
ladies who claim they were born yellow. However, it is very important that you know
some of the harmful side effects of skin bleaching creams.
· Hydroquinone is a very powerful
chemical that is used as the key ingredient in the photographic process of
development, but is also used in the rubber industry as an antioxidant, and as
an agent in hair dyes. Mercury is another product often used in some cosmetic
products as a bleaching agent. Severely toxic, it can cause skin to go grey or
blue black, rather than lighter, and in many cases has resulted in the user
suffering from mercury poisoning.
Mercury Side Effects
- Skin bleaching creams
containing mercury should not be used for long periods of time. Mercury
can cause poisoning, and mercury in creams can start accumulating in the
cells of the body. Too much mercury exposure, or poisoning, can lead to
liver damage and kidney failure.
Sun Ray Exposure
- Skin bleaching creams take
time for full effects and to see results. Hydroquinone and mercury cause
skin to be hyper-sensitive to sun rays.
Peroxide Precautions
- Benzoyl peroxide, hydrogen peroxide, or other peroxide products should not be used with skin bleaching creams, especially when using hydroquinone. The combination of hydroquinone and peroxide can cause temporary dark staining of the skin.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
- Skin bleaching is not
recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. The cream can get into the
mother's bloodstream and travel to the fetus.
·
Skin
bleaching can cause allergic reactions. Some skins are very sensitive to
bleaching creams and this could cause allergic reactions such as contact
dermatitis.
·
Prolonged
use of certain cosmetic creams, which contain bleaching agents, has been linked
with poisoning, convulsions, asthma, leukemia, liver damage, anaphylactic shock
and infertility.
ILORI TITILAYO
