Investigating motivations for womens skin bleaching in. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the skin whitening book secrets to an even smooth complexion. First, skin bleaching also known as skin whitening was said to have its early roots in the renaissance period of 1400s1600s. Skin whitening is a term used for lightening the complexion of the skin through artificial means like creams, lotions, soaps and injections. Skin bleaching is the process of using cosmetic, homemade or dermatological concoctions for the purpose of lightening ones skin. Pdf skin bleaching and the cultural meanings of race and skin. There are many reasons why individuals attempt to cosmetically alter their skin complexion, ranging from unjust racial and economic oppression of poorer, darker. The prophet jeremiah, agonising over the difficulty of trying to liberate a persons mind rather than his body, asked in the th chapter of his book.
The skin whitening book secrets to an even smooth complexion. Preliminary study on the skin lightening practice and health. We often hear of skin bleaching happening in ghana and the caribbean, yet its widely practiced. Before using, apply a small amount of this medicine to an area of unbroken skin. The physician should be familiar with the contents of this insert before prescribing or dispensing this product.
Skin bleaching is the use of creams, gels, or soaps to lighten the skin and is known to cause a number of injuries, many of which are potentially lifethreatening. The increase in skinbleaching around the globe is a result of the merger. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc. Caribbean people grapple with problem of skin bleaching. Skin whitening, also known as skin lightening and skin bleaching, refers to the practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to lighten the skin or provide an even skin color by reducing the melanin concentration in the skin. Here is a complete guide to skin bleaching that will help you get a better knowledge of bleaching and things attached to it. Continuous application of skin bleaching creams can cause skin cancer or acne, or lead the skin to lose its elasticity, meaning skin with more wrinkles.
Common reactions like scorn, disbelief and the singling out of women who engage in this practice as examples of selfhate or a colonial mentality miss the point, says drexel universitys yaba blay, a researcher and ethnographer who codirects the schools africanastudies program. Continuous application of skin bleaching creams can cause skin cancer or acne, or lead the skin to lose its elasticity, meaning skin with more wrinkles charles, 2003. Skin bleaching is a topic that affects different cultures worldwide. It is a bleaching or whitening process in which you use a chemical agent to reduce blemishes, age spots, freckles, or other skin conditions. William freivogel and phil greer through television commercials, print and digital advertisements, magazines, billboards, and the internet, the ideal skin complexion represented in jamaican media is fairskin tones. The skin bleacher, carried away by the apparent attractiveness of white skin, forgets to find out about the health hazards of skin bleaching and may eventually face the unfortunate health hazards such as possible cancer, skin thinning, skin fungal infection, diabetes and. This paper reflects on biological aspects of skin lightening, interpersonal. The reality of skin bleaching and the history behind it. The use of skin lightening products is common among female. Skin so white, white perfect, and white and lovely.
Skin bleaching for instance, which is commonly used amongst the black community, considerably, african women as well as jamaicans is used to whiten or bleach the melanin, the crucial determining factor of the color of the skin. So if youre currently using skin bleaching creams, youre not getting the full on effect unless the product was smuggled in from a foreign country like africa which still allows the use of said chemicals. Skin bleaching in black atlantic zones shade shifters s. The skin whitening book secrets to an even smooth complexion kindle edition by briggs, katriona. Successful skin bleaching stories for dark skin hello all, looking to hear about some success stories on all skin types, but mostly darker to help those who have yet to see results or begin their lightening journey saving them the trouble, money, and horror stories with false advertised products. Overall, it depicts skin bleaching as an attack on genetic blackness by the purposeful removal of an individuals natural skin tone.
Skin bleaching has proven to be an international concern. The promotion of skinbleaching products in jamaica. A worrying beauty trend has emerged in kenya for illegal skinbleaching injections which dramatically lighten the skins pigment. While the history of skin bleaching can be traced to the elizabethan age of powder and paint blay, 2009a.
I am bleaching my skin because when john mahama wins 2016 elections, he will make me ghana ambassador to germany, mr. Skin bleaching aka the act of using substances, mixtures, or treatments to physically lighten ones skin tonehas been around for a long time, and its developed into a billiondollar international industry. It is now known that chemical bleaching can lead to serious skin and health conditions which include. Skin bleaching and the cultural meanings of race and skin color. Two thousand years later, the question remains relevant. Driven by the worlds obsession with lighter skin tones, skin bleaching is now a popular trend among africans, african diaspora, asians and south americans. Can the ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots. Bleaching is more than skin deep health jamaica gleaner. The research discussed above suggests that personal identity pi and reference. Several chemicals have been shown to be effective in skin whitening, while some have proven to be toxic or have questionable safety profiles. Where beauty means bleached skin the new york times. Discover the shocking truth about skin lightening products kindle edition by briggs, katriona.
The act of toning, lightening, whitening, or bleaching ones skin through the use of creams, soaps, pills, injections, and other melanininhibiting mechanisms is a global phenomenon among nonwhite populations 15. Consequences of skin bleaching in nigerian men and women. And he said to them, truly, i say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of god after it has come with power. The two groups have almost the same average scores above the median, which indicates that skin bleaching did not occur because of low selfesteem. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the skin whitening book secrets to.
The concept behind skin bleaching is to acquire a better, smoother and lighter skin complexion, however, studies have. This is a topic, that i have been asked about many times, and. This article is a reliable source because it credits all references used, and was published in 2011. Skinbleaching is a practice that leads to a great deal of pain and shame, and, in some cases, causes irreversible bodily damage to those who practise it. The explanations for skin bleaching in jamaica are best pursued by using. Skin bleaching is but one consequence of global white supremacy, she writes in one piece pushing. Talking her out of skin bleaching wont work afrocentric. The need for interventions to prevent skin bleaching. Out of 22 respondents who had a skin problem from lightening product application, the majority of them had skin peeling, 59. A skin bleaching cream can definitely speed up the process of having a brighter and whiter skin, because it is generally used to brighten, lighten and whiten skin in specific areas that are affected by discoloration and melanin pigmentation issues. Harmful effects of chemical skin bleaching and some safer.
In jamaica skin bleaching has become a major occurrence since the early 2000s. Bleaching is a common treatment that lightens not the skin itself but the fine hairs on the face. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Little research has examined how the historical legacies of slavery, colonization, and westernization in east africa may have shaped internalized dominant cultural ideals, resulting in the dangerous practice of skin bleaching.
The historical and cultural influences of skin bleaching. Skin bleaching and the selfhate polemic by christopher. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading skin lightening facts book. Skin bleaching, selfhate, and black identity in jamaica. As reported in a study, music media associate light skin with high status and confidence. Hydroquinone is a skin bleaching agent which may produce undesired effects if not used as directed. Despite the growing body of research identifying the harmful effects of skin bleaching, this topic has received little attention in the field of public health. Preliminary study on the skin lightening practice and. Kamoko told radio gold, referring to the ghanaian president. Despite these great risks, skin bleaching is prevalent in africa, with estimated rates rates nearing 30% in east africa.
The selfhate explanation for skin bleaching in jamaica is informed by the doll study in america which confounds the. Skin bleaching also called skin lightening, skin whitening and skin toning refers to the practice of using chemical substances to lighten skin tone or provide an even skin complexion by lessening the concentration of melanin. Bleaching for beauty introduction to sociology, 1804 dr. Avoid unnecessary sun exposure, use an effective broadspectrum sunscreen agent or protective clothing should be worn to cover. The concept of skin bleaching in africa and its devastating health. Max orezzoli november 21, 2011 skin bleaching is defined as a practice of using chemical substances in attempt to lighten skin tone or provide an even skin complexion by lessening the concentration of melanin. Skin bleaching overall is a dangerous and is killing societys perception of beauty and commercials and media help make this stereotype that skin color plays a role in economic status and chance of success. Respondents were further asked if they underwent extensive treatment for their skin disease. The issue of skin bleaching is and has been on the rise in jamaica but not in all caribbean countries. Some of the skin bleaching literature frames the skin bleachers as selfhating, restricts identity to a binary, argues erroneously that there is only one way to be black and silences the skin bleachers in public discourse. In his book, black skin, white masks, franz fanon draws on his own. Jamaicans started bleaching their skin because of the western images they saw.
Many people experience the problem of discoloration and before buying and using a cream to help. As such, here are some tips on the safe use of medicines, whether to be swallowed or applied to the skin. Selfesteem, racial selfesteem, and black identity transactions article pdf available january 2010 with 14,642 reads how we measure reads. Selfesteem, racial selfesteem, and black identity transactions. However, the way the western media has reported on this topic feels problematic. While i think her dark skin is flawless, soft, smooth and richly dark, she like many black women dark skinned or not, see their skin as a curse, as inferior to light and white skin.
Skin bleaching has global commercial appeal as seen by the sale of products such as. Follow all directions on the product package, or use as directed by your doctor. Despite aggressive campaigning on all levels to reduce this trend, it still continues. Skin can also smell after many years of use of skin bleaching creams. A guide to choosing a skin bleaching cream the skin. Most skinlightening treatments target the skins ability to produce pigment, or melanin, which gives your skin, hair and eyes their colour. Skin bleaching among african and afrocaribbean women in.
The sample consisted of fifteen participantstwelve participants six males and six females with a history of skin bleaching. The responsibility and challenge lies with dermatologists and other health workers. Skin bleaching, lightening or whitening product sales have greatly increased over recent years. Why do many african women continue to use damaging skinbleaching cosmetics that contain dangerous chemicals e. However, we cannot give up on efforts to educate the public on the harmful effects of the practise.
Many black women have allowed society to convince them that there is something wrong with them. Firstly, thank you so much for watching my beauties. Homemade concoctions, cosmetic products and dermatological products are used to decrease the melanin. In fact, skin bleaching can be very detrimental to ones health and wellbeing. Bleaching is more than skindeep in focus jamaica gleaner. This paper demonstrates the rationale behind skin bleaching and the. Nativeness and education were associated with various components of skin bleaching practice intensity, including duration of skin bleaching, daily use of products, and bleaching of the entire body.
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