Tuesday 19 February 2013

Fair & Lovely, White & Pure (Part 2)

As I wrote in the previous post, skin whitening seems to be the latest trend. People in general have come to a point of equating fairness with beauty. If you're not fair enough, you're not pretty enough or attractive enough. It is sad that people have to expose their bodies through 'chemical processes' in order to 'look/feel' beautiful.

But this so called 'beautification process' comes at a steep price. The ingredients that are used in these whitening products contain chemicals which cause harm to our bodies. 

1. Hydroquinone

Hydroquinone has been clinically tested to be a potentially dangerous ingredient. In experiments on mice, hydroquinone caused cancer in them.

Creams which contain hydroquinone are capable of burning through layers of the skin; thus leaving behind scarring. And it is a known fact that hydroquinone is a skin irritant!

This ingredient has been banned in many countries, which include Japan, England and France. 

2. Mercury

Mercury is another ingredient used in whitening products. Small amounts of this chemical can cause damage to one's nervous system and cause kidney problems. Pregnant women who use skin lightening creams during their pregnancy can pass the mercury to their unborn child!

Mercury can also cause the treated area of the skin to become thick and discoloured. This definitely beats the purpose of using the whitening products!

*Note: Mercury is sometimes listed under other names: calomel, mercuric, mercurous or mercurio.

3. Steroids

Topical use of steroids on the skin can cause thinning of the skin, acne and poor wound healing. 



4 comments:

  1. The whole concept is so racist. Do commercials target men at all to lighten themselves? Or is it just women? And this would be why women are statistically more inclined to be chemically sensitive....

    I read those commercials are being marketed only in Malaysia and Thailand and surrounding countries. What a travesty. I guess parents really need to work harder to teach their children to be proud of who they are rather than trying to change themselves to be someone they aren't.

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    1. I think men are as vain as women nowadays. This intimate bleaching was started by the adult industry. Somehow it has caught on with the public.

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    2. Let us know when they start penis whitening commercials...and post the video. hehehe

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