Ban skin-lightening products‚ KwaZulu-Natal academic urges

28 January 2016 - 13:49 By TMG Digital

The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s head of dermatology on Thursday called for a ban on “the sale and use of skin-lightening products”. Professor Ncoza Dlova claimed her “recent research on the use of skin-lightening products - including leading South African brands” revealed that nine out of 10 of users of “the creams were unaware of the dangerous side-effects‚ including skin cancer”.She also alleged that “none of the top 10 South African or internationally produced skin-lightening products on the market” contained a warning for “women to use a sunscreen when applying a skin-lightening product’ as required by law.Dlova’s research found that only 21% use sunscreen in conjunction with skin-lightening products.Exacerbating the risk‚ postured Dlova‚ was advertising targeting a younger age group “in an attempt to persuade them to embrace lighter tone as ‘more desirable’ ”.Dlova said that more that one-third of women associate a lighter skin tone with self-esteem‚ socio-economic class‚ better job opportunities and marriage prospects.Even more worrying is that “while 23% of African women and 11% of Indian women reported that their skin had been damaged by the use of a skin-lightening product‚ 90% were still happy with the result of a lighter skin tone”.Dlova listed among the side-effects an “irreversible thinning of the skin‚ stretch marks‚ skin infections‚ pimples‚ permanent dark marks and skin cancer”.Her department and the Women Dermatology Society‚ which Dlova also heads‚ are to launch a campaign warning women against the use of skin-lightening creams‚ as their use “is not only a psycho-social burden but also a major public health issue which needs development of targeted interventions aimed at changing perceptions and educating consumers about the dangers of this practice”.“The post-colonisation inferiority complex and media advertisers promote being fair and thin as desirable goals and this needs to change‚” Dlova said.“Our campaign will not only call for government action against these skin-lightening products but also more consumer awareness of the banned chemicals being used and recommend the correct use of products which are allowed on the market.”..

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