“When the bleaching propaganda got so negative, they had to come up with toning. Bleaching sounds too hard, now it’s toning. I don’t bleach, they say, I tone’’-Femi Kuti
On several occasions, I have walked past old classmates of mine due to my inability to recognize their new looks. During my school days, the majority of my mates had dark complexions but years after graduation, some have taken new skin complexions using bleaching agents. This makes it difficult for one to recognize them on the street. During such encounters, the following converse is likely to take place:
Old school mate: Hey brother
Me: Good day
Old school mate: So you are forming for me right
Me: How?
Old school mate: You saw me on the way but you just walked past me pretending like you never knew me
Me: Hmmm. See me see trouble Oh! But I don’t know you and I find it difficult to talk to strangers on the street for security reasons
Old schoolmate: Chineke! So you have forgotten that your primary seatmate at school because you’ve started growing beards
Me: Ah Ah Ah… Is this Angela?
Old schoolmate: Yes Of course
Me: I am very sorry Ma. I never intended to snub you. The Angela I knew while in primary school was chocolate in complexion. When I saw your fair complexion, I found it difficult to recognize you. Why did you decide to tone your skin?
Old schoolmate: It’s a long story. Forget about it
Me: No now. You know we were friends. Please share it with me
Old schoolmate: Okay. When I gained admission into the University, girls in my hostel always made jest of me for being too dark. They even told me that it would be difficult to get married.
Me: You don’t mean it
Old school mate: This caused me depression and pushed me to tone my skin
Me: Ayaaaaaaaaaa! But you were the most beautiful girl in our primary school days. Why did you allow yourself to be deceived?
Old school mate: Don’t mind me. I now regret my action
According to the World Health Organization, 77% of women in Nigeria use skin-lightening products. This makes the country, the world’s highest users.
Reasons why people bleach
There is a common adage among many bleachers that “staying black is not beautiful at all”. This erroneous belief makes many resort to skin toning to be beautiful.
In racial-dominated regions, blacks are coerced to tone their skin to escape the scourge of racism. With “Japa” being the new gospel on the lips of many Nigerians, people with ambitions to migrate are bleaching their skins in preparation for their seamless integration into the Western world.
For others, it is the influence of celebrities like Michael Jackson and foreign movies. When Nigerians watch American movies, they are tempted to tone their skin to take semblance with their favourite actors.
In the past, skin toning used to be associated with women but in recent times, men are actively competing with women because of low self-esteem. This assertion was backed by Miss Florence Joseph who stated that “She once had an encounter with a male friend who to her that he was bleaching his skin because ladies were not easily attracted to dark but fair guys”
From personal observations, I noticed that light-skinned African women are often considered more beautiful than their dark-skinned peers. Since the former find it easier to find marriage, the latter are pressured to embrace skin toning to get marriage proposals.
On a good note, few Nigerians who bleach do it for health reasons. Through these therapies, they can reduce dark spots on the skin which may have been caused by sun damage, aging, and hormonal change.
Dangers of skin bleaching
Many bleaching creams contain toxins like mercury, which blocks the production of melanin. Since melanin is responsible for skin colour, its restriction exposes hardcore users to cancer and other diseases.
Due to the continuous use of bleaching substances, the skins of users become weak. In a situation when a surgical procedure is to be conducted on such a user, it will be difficult for the skin to be stitched, leading to complications and death.
Doctor Ayobode Williams has also stressed that “systemically, bleaching agents cause things like kidney failure because of the mercury in some of the products and also causes eczema, skin pigmentation among a host of other infections”
Skin toning erodes our unique heritage and makes us laughing stocks in the eyes of the global community.
It also drains the resources of users due to its addictive nature. Since users are expected to continuously use expensive bleaching agents to get the desired result, resources, that should have been channeled to address pressing individual needs, are wasted in the cosmetic industry.
How to control skin bleaching
It is common to find vendors in motor parks and highways, hawking bleaching substances due to the lack of stringent regulation. NAFDAC as a body needs to regulate the sale of these substances to discourage its indiscriminate use.
For those who will be required to bleach for health reasons, it should be done under the supervision of a qualified dermatologist.
Society as a whole needs to be enlightened to embrace the philosophy that “black is beautiful”. When this is achieved, Africans suffering from an inferiority complex because of skin colour will be empowered to overcome the temptation to engage in skin toning.
Leaders across all strata of society should live by example while being tasked with the responsibility of providing moral guidance for younger Nigerians. This will annihilate the bias that denies black Nigerians from accessing and getting opportunities in society.
One thing I noticed among airline companies is that they hardly employ dark-skinned members of the public. This makes many of our brothers and sisters resort to skin bleaching to be employed. To this end, authorities should create policies that will create equal employment opportunities for everyone irrespective of skin colour.
Finally, with the trending #Estherblishchallenge moving like a hurricane, many have been shocked about the physical transformation currently on display on social media. Hashtags are good but when they are not properly managed, the public may be misled. To this end, social media companies should monitor and control trends that are capable of pushing people to be involved in skin toning.
References:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/06/reasons-people-bleach-their-skin
https://www.bmj.com/content/382/bmj.p1851
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2013/4/6/nigerias-dangerous-skin-whitening-obsession