Skin bleaching has no health benefit. It is the use of a product to change a person’s skin color from dark areas of the body to a lighter complexion.
There is no surety for most of the products to help improve your skin color, and so many bleaching creams have been proved to complications and dangerous side effects.
Medically it is of no use to bleach the skin considering the risks and health issues related. Anyone that still wants to lighten his/her skin should firstly understand the risks involved. What gives skin bleaching products a negative reputation within African and Caribbean communities is not just the danger attached to it, but the psychology connected to it.
Long-term use of skin-bleaching cream causes visible skin damage and scars, with serious internal effects that are not too visible. Another proof that highlights the risks of bleaching cream is liver failure and permanent health problems.
What do bleaching creams contain?
Bleaching cream products contain a variety of ingredients. Some of these ingredients are more effective than others. Unspecified products are sold, often without listing their contents or they are incorrectly labelled. They may be safe but completely ineffective, or the chemicals may result in side effects and toxicity. The risks depend on which ingredient is being applied to the skin, the concentration, the area it’s applied, and how long you use it.
Here are some bleaching cream agents
- Hydroquinone
- Cysteamine
- Topical retinoids
- Botanicals
- Other agents
- Topical corticosteroids
- Mercury.
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Hydroquinone
Hydroquinone is an effective skin lightening agent. It is no longer available in some parts of the world because of the damaging effects of long-term use. In some products, excessive use of hydroquinone combined with certain foods in the diet (fish, eggs, offal, beans) results in an unpleasant fish odour in the body secretions such as sweat and urine (trimethylaminuria). Monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone is a strong derivative of hydroquinone
How does skin bleaching cream work
Skin bleaching affects melanin by reducing the production and concentration of melanin in the skin. Melanin is a pigment that gives human skin, hair, and colors their eyes. Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes. Dark-skinned people have more melanin in their skin than light-skinned people.
Melanin production can be affected by some factors like hormones, sunlight, and certain chemicals. Applying a bleaching cream like hydroquinone reduces the number of melanocytes present in your skin. This tends to lighten up the skin color.
Skin bleaching side effects
1. Steroid acne:
This is inflammation caused by skin bleaching creams that contain corticosteroids. The chest is mostly affected by steroid acne and develops in other parts of the body like the back, arms, etc.
The symptoms include:
- Small red bumps
- Large, painful red lumps
- Acne scare
- Whiteheads and blackheads
2. Dermatitis:
This is an inflammation of the skin that is caused by bleaching creams due to certain substances contacted. Dermatitis symptoms can increase from little to more complicated symptoms, and they include
- Blisters
- Skin ulcers
- Skin redness
- Hives
- Dry, scaly skin
- Swelling
- Itching
- Burning and tenderness
3. Nephrotic syndrome:
This is a kidney disorder that causes your body to pass too much protein in your urine. The nephrotic syndrome is usually caused by damage to the clusters of small blood vessels in your kidneys that filter waste and excess water from your blood. Symptoms include:
- Swelling(edema) around the eyes
- Foamy urine
- Loss of appetite
- Swollen feet and ankles
- Fatigue
4. Exogenous ochronosis (EO):
Usually occurs after long-term use of bleaching creams that contain hydroquinone. It is a skin inflammation that causes blue-black pigmentation. Anyone that uses a skin bleaching cream is likely to develop Exogenous ochronosis (EO).
5. Neurologic symptoms:
- Memory loss
- Irritability
- Tremor
6. Mercury poisoning:
Signs and symptoms of mercury poisoning include:
- Kidney failure
- High blood pressure
- Numbness
- Fatigue
Main techniques for lightening the skin include:
- skin-lightening creams
- laser treatment
What could go wrong
Skin-lightening creams containing hydroquinone, corticosteroids or mercury have the following risks:
- skin turning dark or too light
- thinning of the skin
- visible blood vessels in the skin
- scarring
- kidney, liver or nerve damage
- abnormalities in a newborn baby (if used during pregnancy)
For those using laser treatment (side effects)
- scarring
- skin infection
- the skin turning darker or too light
The allergic reaction may consist of:
- Rash
- Itching/swelling
- Severe dizziness
- Difficult to breathe
More side effects of using bleaching cream (hydroquinone, corticosteroids or mercury) are: the skin becomes darker or too light, thinning or showing visible blood vessels; scars; kidney, liver or nerve damage; (if used during pregnancy) causes abnormalities in a newborn baby. Bleaching cream products could strip the skin of melanin, it makes the skin to be more sensitive to the sun, which results to cover up your body with more clothing and not just sun protection, otherwise, you increase your risk of skin cancer.
Conclusion: Bleaching the skin is a personal decision to make, I would advise maintaining a natural skin color than bleaching because it has many health-related issues. Health first before beauty.
