‘Skin Bleaching’ Attributed To Copycat Nature Of Nigerians
The risk of contracting skin infection and diseases through bleaching especially amongst dark skinned individuals has been described as a phenomenon that is on the increase in recent times.
This is against the background of the increase in the skin bleaching and lightening activities amongst celebrity ladies in the country.
According to information from the streets, the trend is highly rampant these days because many of these celebrities want to copy theor counterparts in foreign countries and they do this by lightening their complexion.
Some also attributed it to the fact that most men of nowadays prefer light skinned to dark skinned women for reasons of their sex and beauty appeal, not minding the health implications.
Further information also revealed that most ladies bleach their skin as a result of the inferiority complex and also to catch the attention of prying eyes of their suitors.
An examination of some of these bleaching creams on the stalls in Osogbo reveals that they are made up of active ingredients such as mercurous chloride; hydroquinone which can also cause mutations in bacteria and have carcinogens which can lead to cancer.
The side effects of bleaching and skin lightening can be harmful to the body and death resulting from the skin infection, while mercury poisoning cannot be overruled most times.