TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK ON LIGHTENING CREAMS

The use of lightening creams (bleaching creams) is now on the increase in our society today. The harmful effects that these creams have on our body cannot be over emphasized. Most of them contain harmful substances that can cause the following…..

Acne: The occurrence of inflamed or infected sebaceous glands in the skin; in particular, a condition characterized by red pimples on the face, prevalent chiefly among teenager

Mercury poisoning: A disease caused by exposure to mercury or its compounds. Mercury is a heavy metal that occurs in several forms, all of which can produce toxic effects in high enough doses. ...

   Stretch marks: Streaks or stripes on the skin, especially on the abdomen, caused by distension of the skin from obesity or during pregnancy

Skin cancer: A malignant growth on the skin which can have many causes. The three most common skin cancers are basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and melanoma, each of which is named after the type of skin cell from which it arises. ...

   Melasma: A tan or dark skin discoloration.

   Mercury compounds have been used in skin lightening creams for many years, and excessive use has been linked to brain and kidney problems. Hydroquinone, another common ingredient, can cause many side effects, including dermatitis (skin irritation), cataracts and blue-black skin discoloration. It may sometimes cause an offensive fish odour in the user. Many skin lightening creams also contain steroids in doses up to 1,000 times higher than in creams used to treat eczema and other skin conditions. Steroid use can cause all sorts of complications such as thinning of the skin, acne, red stretch marks and discoloration. Worse still, the steroids in these creams can act like cortisol, a hormone made by the body to deal with stress. Too much cortisol can cause a myriad of problems, including swelling of the face and abdomen, weight gain, thin skin that bruises easily, stretch marks, weak muscles, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis and depression. It can also fool the body into ceasing cortisol production. So, if someone suddenly stops using these creams, they could become seriously ill because their stress hormones have been temporarily “turned off”. The creams must be used continuously to maintain the bleaching effect, otherwise the skin will re-pigment. Sometimes the skin can even become “addicted” to the creams (in the form of a withdrawal rash), making it very difficult to stop using them.

   Funny thing is guys prefer light skin girls to dark skin girls *lol* . My dear guys just know that if she bleaches to reach one of your criteria’s for things you love about a lady’s physical look know that so many complications can arise from these so better advise your babes *wink*