Nigeria Has The Highest Percentage Of Skin Bleaching Women – WHO

The World Health Organisation, WHO, has
said 77 percent of women in Nigeria use
skin-lightening products, the world’s
highest percentage. The figure compares
with 59 percent in Togo, and 27 percent
in Senegal.
The WHO report said the reasons for this
are varied but most people said they use
skin-lighteners because they want “white
skin”.
WHO also said skin bleaching comes with
hazardous health consequences. The
dangers associated with the use of toxic
compounds for skin bleaching include,
blood cancers such as leukemia and
cancers of the liver and kidneys, as well
as severe skin conditions. It said hardcore
bleachers use illegal ointments containing
toxins like mercury, a metal that blocks
production of melanin, which gives the
skin its colour, but can also be toxic.
The report said in many parts of Africa,
lighter-skinned women are considered
more beautiful and believed to be more
successful and likely to find marriage. It
also said it is not only women who are
obsessed with bleaching their skins. Some
men too are involved in the practice.
* In extreme cases of skin bleaching, the
skin can become multi-coloured and
marred with inflammation or scarring.
WHO investigation said lightening creams
are not effectively regulated in Nigeria
where even roadside vendors sell tubes
and plastic bags of powders and
ointments from cardboard boxes stacked
along sidewalks in market districts. Many
of the tubes are unlabelled as to their
actual ingredients.
Qatar based Al Jazeera also reported that
business is booming for shops selling
skin-lightening products. A trader said,
“About 90 percent of my clients come
asking for skin whitening products,”
adding “I sell it to them and give advice
on what product is best for them and how
to use them.”