Skin Bleaching in Black and Brown Peoples

Skin Bleaching in Black and Brown People
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Skin Bleaching in Black and Brown People
Skin bleaching in Africa is a concept not new to the world. The roots of the practice were in the transatlantic slave trade and the European colonization of African countries. The European systems reduced African people to servants with minor wealth, beauty, and political status, thus promoting racial discrimination. Some Africans still consider the traditional racism that viewed Europeans as superiors, who opt to apply the skin-lightening elements. Such people believe that dark skin is associated with unsatisfactory features like social class, education, and beauty. Generally, dark skin is connected to economic disadvantages and struggles in Africa (Cowry News, 2020). Selling skin-lightening creams in Africa has proved to be a profitable operation among individuals involved. African men and women spend significant money lightening their skin, decrementing their melanin, and inflicting health risks. Multiple skins breaching creams contain chemicals such as hydroquinone and mercury connected to skin damage and liver and kidney problems.
Many countries have banned the use of skin-lightening creams due to the health effects associated with them. However, the skin bleaching business is still thriving in some African countries such as Cameroon, Nigeria, and South Africa. The FDA issued a warning on over-the-counter skin lightening products and considered them harmful. Doctors in Africa studied the skin bleaching procedure and concluded that while some people bleach their skin for pride, some are calculative in their actions. Individuals selling the skin bleaching creams refer to and promote the products as “up-marketing” individual appearance. The results of their activities are progress and job security. Therefore, the business is a decision with business intentions for faster and easy access to money and fame.
Skin Bleaching in South Africa
South Africa is a perfect example to various struggling countries by overcoming apartheid and producing exceptional leaders who stood up, fought, and ended oppression. Nelson Mandela was among the leaders who fought for freedom along with other South African people. However, South Africans can still fully overcome multiple psychological effects of apartheid and colonialism, such as self-hatred and low self-esteem (Nel & Lowe, 2019). The negative influence pushes people to change their physical appearance to boost their morale, and the standard method of doing so is skin bleaching. Many people have turned to lighten their skins in multiple countries across the globe. However, the rate of skin lightening in Africa is huge and more dangerous compared to other nations. The skin lightening rates in Africa vary from one city to another due to limited regulations on skin bleaching products in different African countries. As a result, many Africans mix bleaching products with other harmful products such as toothpaste and washing powders to form a powerful final product that will bleach their skins faster. Unfortunately, using these elements provides short-term results, and users become depend...