essay about skin bleaching

Essay On Skin Bleaching

Skin bleaching has been a popular way of dealing with dark facial hair. Many people have dark hair on their forehead, one the sides of their face, and around the lips. Until a few years ago, women used bleach creams to lighten their facial or body hair. However, now it is common for men to use skin bleach too. It helps to even out the skin tone and appear more groomed. A skin bleach does not only lighten the hair on the skin but also make the skin appear more even. Despite its instant beautifying effect, people used to be scared of using bleach creams. They were afraid the harsh chemicals in a skin bleach will have a bad effect on their skin. The companies making bleach creams decided to make their bleach creams a little gentle to the skin …show more content…

and follow the instructions provided in the bleach kit. This will ensure that you get desired results from bleaching. Here the main advanatges of skin bleaching that we think everyone needs to know about: Lightens Facial Hair: One of the main face bleaching benefits is that it lightens facial hair and makes the skin appear more attractive. Many people have relatively dark facial hair that is clearly visible against their skin and this makes them feel conscious about their appearance. By using a bleach cream, these people can lighten the facial hair and feel more confident about their looks. Removes Tan: Bleach creams contain chemicals that remove tanning from the skin. If you have uneven skin tone because of exposure to the sun, a bleach cream can lighten the tanned areas and make your skin appear even. Some bleach creams contain special ingredients and are specially made to remove tanning from the skin. Adds Glow: If you have dull skin, a face bleach cream can impart a certain glow to your skin instantly. You can apply a bleach cream to have glowing skin before you step out for an event or special occasion. There are different types of bleach creams in the market and some of them contain gold, silver, or pearl powders that work really work to make your skin

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Not only is skin bleaching popular but there are even famous artists who supports it and the people who uses those types of skin products will leave there skin damaged and can get skin cancer, uneven skin color, acne, and redness from the areas of the skin that was applied

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[1] Facials work for thus several doubtless attributable to the quiet, calming result the treatment has on you. associate hour of meditating, relaxing, and customarily lease go of stress could also be a lot of helpful to your skin than taking your possibilities at obtaining skin treatment that you’re unsure of. 3. Go Natural.

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Home > CONFERENCES > AERC > 2011 > PAPERS > 85

2011 Papers (Toronto, ON, Canada)

Perceptions of Beauty and Identity: The Skin Bleaching Phenomenon in Jamaica

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Petra A. Robinson , Texas A&M University

Founded on the significance of the skin bleaching phenomenon in Jamaica, and the persistent influences of colonialism, the purpose of this paper is twofold: (a) to explore the skin bleaching phenomenon and (b) to provide a snapshot of how colonialism (despite national independence) influences perceptions of beauty and identity in Jamaica, particularly through informal learning. Based on an empirical study, the research sought to explore and understand the perceptions and motivations behind the practice of skin bleaching, given the historical and social context, and how it influenced the participants’ perceptions of beauty and identity

colorism, postcolonialism, skin color, informal learning, identity

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Robinson, P. A. (2011). Perceptions of Beauty and Identity: The Skin Bleaching Phenomenon in Jamaica . Adult Education Research Conference. https://newprairiepress.org/aerc/2011/papers/85 test="theme.id eq '2020'>(conference cancelled)

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Skin bleaching is a symptom of deeper psychological issues

The matter of skin bleaching has occupied attention in Jamaica for some time. The issue was brought into relief recently when it was discovered that children from schools in the western region of the island were bleaching their skin.

One school even sent a letter to parents expressing alarm about the issue and asking that children who had bleached their skins remain at home until “his/her original complexion has returned and when it would have been deemed safe for him/her to be integrated into the school population”. This approach by any school is tantamount to taking a sledgehammer to kill a mosquito. It is a draconian response to a situation that demands deeper analysis and attention, especially from a psychological perspective.

A better approach would be to make counselling available to these children. As a marriage and family therapist, one knows that such cases derive greater benefit from therapeutic intervention than the ham-fisted punishment which can further denigrate the person. Such approach does not address the deeper psychological issues that demand exploration. Children do not bleach their skins without underlying reasons for doing so. In many respects it is a function of what they observe in the adult population, even among their parents and other adult family members. They bleach because they want to feel accepted in a society where blackness is derided and the brown skin elevated as a vehicle to social mobility and acceptance. They bleach because this is the way in which they believe they can feel loved and accepted.

Where are the parents in all of this? Where did the kids featured in the St James high school story get the money to buy the bleaching paraphernalia? It is my understanding that these items are not cheap or easily affordable for the ordinary person to be able to buy them on the consistent basis required to be effective. So the parents have to be knowledgeable about the activity that takes place right under their noses. But some of these parents are themselves bleachers and even they cannot overcome the hypocrisy that would be required to reprimand their youngster.

It should be made clear to children, parents and the school community alike that bleaching agents can be very toxic and harmful to the body. These agents contain chemicals that can be injurious to one’s health. It is suggested that they can cause cancers and certainly introduce to the body harmful toxins that can do serious damage. This may not happen immediately, and in the young may take longer to manifest symptoms. But why play with toxins or foreign agents simply to look good to be appreciated? The same can be said of the myriad ways in which the billion-dollar cosmetic industry seeks to enhance the “beautiful” appearance of persons. Breast and buttock enhancements and Botox treatment to the face are just a few ways in which people seek to enhance beauty and ostensibly make themselves attractive to others or to themselves.

I am not here imputing guilt to anyone for doing these things. Neither am I saying that there is anything wrong with this. Call me an old fuddy-duddy, but these things do not appeal to me. Even to stain what is left of my black hair in order to look younger is a non-starter for me. Introducing chemicals to my skin to give the impression of ongoing youth is to me foolhardy and not to be indulged. But each person has to live in his or her own skin, and must do what is necessary to feel comfortable in that skin. But at what expense to one’s pocket and, more importantly, one’s health. Furthermore, to please whom?

If people cannot love you for who you are in the natural presentation of yourself and your integrity as a person then they are not worthy of your love in return. If a person’s love for you is contingent upon how you look then you ought to be suspicious of his or her overtures for love cannot be bought, forced or ambushed.

I may get some negative e-mail here, but no woman, or man for that matter, should subject herself/himself to costly cosmetic rehabilitation simply to please a present or potential suitor. It just does not make sense. You must do it only if you want to, only if it is pleasing to you. You may very well do it only for things to go wrong and then the relationship dies. Furthermore, if an employer can only value your worth as a worker by virtue of the colour of your skin then that employer is not worthy of your talents. Your estimate of yourself, which is what self-esteem is about, should help you to value your self-worth, which should never be for sale.

Children who bleach their skins are crying out for acceptance and a deeper sense of belonging. From very early they must be helped to appreciate self-affirmation and that which leads to wholesome development of the self. This is about self-esteem and is not an abstract goal. Simply showing appreciation for what the child does goes a far way in building self-esteem. Warm praise in the form of a hug or any other form of tangible affirmation that gives the child pleasure can help that child to feel affirmed and to feel comfortable in his/her own skin. It is the absence of this comfort level and the need to feel accepted that will lead someone to change the colour of his or her skin to feel accepted by others.

Killing a child’s self-esteem can come in many ways. Fundamentally, it begins in the home, where unkind words are spoken to the child. If what a child hears constantly are words that demean the person these become a part of his or her collective experience and thus shapes the person’s character. Demeaning phrases such as, “You are good for nothing,” or “You will never amount to anything good,” are abusive and eat away at the child’s value of self. You will notice that in this piece I never use the word “it” in reference to a child. “It” is a neuter gender used to describe things. It may not be of any significance to some people, but a child that is born into the world is a person; as a male or a female. “It” does not and cannot denote personhood which is essential to an individual’s appreciation of his or her sense of self.

It will not be easy to changes the mindset of those who bleach to feel accepted. We have a great deal of work to do in a society littered with the detritus of a colonial and plantocratic legacy of self-denigration and low self-worth. In some rural areas, the white stranger who may even be a fugitive from justice, may enjoy a higher regard among some persons than an upstanding black Jamaican stranger who may barely be noticed. It is likely that the black person will be more readily called a thief than his white counterpart. The colour of the skin may present a greater reason for deference than that of the black person. Children calling each other black and fighting because it is considered a slur word is still a factor to be reckoned with. These are uncomfortable truths with which the society has to reckon.

The work of building self-esteem must start at home and should be an integral part of any parenting curriculum. Values of self-worth must be reaffirmed in the school and in our churches. In the formative years of a child’s life he/she must be positively affirmed by every agency of their socialization. They must be helped to believe that they matter and that they belong and are not isolated atoms in society. If we lose them by our inattention to their needs then we should not bawl when the negative images of self are perpetuated in adulthood.

Dr Raulston Nembhard is a priest and social commentator. Send comments to the Observer or [email protected]

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Skin Bleaching

According to consumers of skin bleaching products, women use it to achieve “fair skin. Those women most often get their perception of beauty from media advertisements within their society. Nakano argues that skin whitening work in more social, economical, and human capital spectrums ways to make dark skinned women use it to establish themselves in society as entities. They try to validate themselves by changing who they are because of society’s view of their skin as negative, rather positive. Glen says, “Light skin operates as a form of symbolic capital, one that is especially critical for women because of the connection between skin tone attractiveness and desirability.” There are three forms of capitals: 1. Symbolic Capital – Woman …show more content…

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Everyone loves to feel beautiful, but what is the price? Everyday there is a woman painting painting her nails, a man running gel through his hair, and a mother rubbing lotion on her childs skin. These are looked over like normal activities but they contain a dark secret. This secret can lead to death, pain, and injuries. In fact, it has been in the dark so long, that many people choose to ignore it. What is this secret? Well, the beauty industry hides an ugly truth: It has flaws in the system that lead to mislabeling of products, unregulated chemicals in formulas, and dangerous diseases in cosmetologists.

Speech On Women In Beauty

Often times, women are pressured by the mainstream media to upkeep a stellar appearance. They are expected to measure up to high standards without question. Even before most girls reach puberty, commercials are bombarding them with small Barbie esque makeup kits filled with lip glosses and chalky eyeshadows. The impact it has on impressionable children, both girls and boys is something that will likely last a lifetime if unlearned. Cosmetic companies who are marketing to young ladies say they can simply improve their looks to gain acceptance from their peers if they use the products they are selling. The makeup industry is a multi million enterprise that makes a profit from women’s insecurities and amplified pressures from society as a common tactic many cosmetic campaigns use is to push women to embrace the ‘natural look’ by providing products that will make it appear as if the individual is not even wearing makeup. Companies will spout out that with these products, the end result will be ‘you, but better.’ It is somewhat of an underlying and slightly manipulating slogan, as if to say how a woman appears could be improved because it is lacking in the moment. This distorts how we all believe how a woman is suppose to look.

Related Topics

• Black people
• Human skin color
• White people

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• v.15(4); 2015 Dec

“The fairer the better?” Use of potentially toxic skin bleaching products

Elisabeth darj.

1 Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Sweden

2 Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

Jennifer J Infanti

Beth maina ahlberg, jecinta okumu.

Skin bleaching is a widespread phenomenon in spite of their potentially toxic health effects.

This study aimed to determine if such products are used in Sweden in particular by pregnant women, furthermore to explore immigrant women's view skin bleaching.

455 pregnant women completed a questionnaire, which were statistically analysed. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with immigrant women, content analysis was used to assess the data.

Skin bleaching products were used by 2.6% of pregnant women, significantlly more by women born in non-European countries. Motivating factors were associated with the concept of beauty together with social and economic advantages. The women had low awareness of the potential health risks of the products. Regulations on the trade of skin bleaching products have not effectively reduced the availability of the products in Sweden nor the popularity of skin bleaching.

There is need for further research especially among pregnant women and possible effects on newborns. Products should be tested for toxicity. Public health information should be developed and health care providers educated and aware of this practice, due to their potential negative health implications.

Introduction

Skin bleaching refers to the use of chemical agents to lighten skin colour. Such products can be prescribed to treat hyperpigmentation disorders 1 , but are more frequently used intentionally to lighten skin complexion. The regular and sustained use of skin bleaching products has been practiced in African and Asian contexts for decades, with prevalence estimates from 25% to 96% 2 – 6 . Skin bleaching continues to affect communities “of colour” disproportionately 6 , but has extended beyond the African and Asian continents 7 – 11 . While traditionally a female practice, use has become more popular also among men in recent years 12 .

Skin bleaching products include creams, ointments, soaps, capsules/pills, and injections. The most commonly used products contain hydroquinone, corticosteroids or mercury 4 . These agents act in different ways to lighten skin, but generally work by suppressing the production of melanin, the pigment which gives human skin its colour 13 – 15 . While effective in lightening skin colour, the products are also associated with health risks, such as dermatitis, impaired wound healing and adrenal suppression 12 , 16 . Mercury is associated with adverse neurological, psychological and renal effects and organic mercury compounds also have the ability to cross the placenta with toxic effects for the foetus 3 , 12 , 15 , 16 – 19 .

Medical concerns about safety have resulted in more stringent regulations and prohibitions on the production and trade of certain products in many countries. These efforts, however, appear to have done little to curb the growing popularity of skin bleaching around the world, nor the widespread availability of the products 6 , 20 , 21 . Health problems are regularly observed, and globalisation continues to fuel the flow of goods 7 – 8 , 22 – 23 . To our knowledge, there are no formal studies assessing the prevalence of skin bleaching products in Sweden. Given the widespread use and popularity of skin bleaching products globally and their potential adverse health effects, it is critical to address this knowledge gap in Sweden today, where immigrants comprise 15% of the country's population 24 . The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of skin bleaching among pregnant women in Sweden, and further to explore the perceptions of immigrant women on practice, safety, availability of skin bleaching products, and underlying factors motivating a preference for lighter skin.

An exploratory design was chosen to answer the research questions as there were no earlier studies in Sweden to build upon. In the tradition of methodological triangulation 25 , we selected a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques to gain a more nuanced understanding of the phenomenon of skin bleaching. The qualitative methods were also used to follow-up on unanswered questions which emerged during the analysis of the quantitative data.

Quantitative component

At a university hospital in Sweden, the two senior reseachers, who planned the study, invited all pregnant women attending a routine ultrasound examination during weeks 16–18 gestation to answer a short anonymous questionnaire while awaiting their appointments (July to October 2012). The women were given the study information and questionnaires at the time of arrival to the hospital for their routine scans, by a receptionist. The midwives and doctors providing the ultrasound were not involved in the study, which was completed before the medical examination. The documents were available in Swedish, English, French and Kiswahili. The questionnaire contained five closed questions on socio-demographic information and obstetric history, one question on prior and present use of skin bleaching products and, for users, questions regarding duration, frequency, satisfaction and if adverse effects were observed. Three open questions explored what kind of products were used, where the products were applied and what kind of adverse effects were obeserved, if any. The questionnaires were voluntarily returned, placed in a sealed box in the waiting room of the clinic. The box was emptied every other day by one of the reserachers. The responses were entered into a statistical database created using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 18. Data was summarised in frequency tables. Chi-square tests were used for comparison between users and non-users. The results were considered significant at p-values of less than 0.05.

Qualitative component

The second stage of the study involved a further three months of data collection (November 2012 to January 2013). Three focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted in a meeting room at the hospital, with four women in each group. African women participated in the first two groups and Asian women in the third FGD. The FGDs lasted approximately 60 minutes each. Four individual interviews were conducted face-to-face in one of the university offices or, over the internet, with Skype or Facebook Messenger. We identified participants using snowball sampling; immigrant women known to the study researchers were asked to help in identifying other participants from their social networks for the study. One of the researchers contacted the women and explained the purpose and procedures for voluntary participation. The FGDs and interviews were conducted in English, as all participants were fluent in English, using a topic guide covering perceptions on the use of skin bleaching products, motivations for skin bleaching, knowledge of the safety and types of products used, and their availability in Sweden.

Extensive written notes were taken during the FGDs and interviews, by the last author, JO. Qualitative content analysis according to Graneheim & Lundman was followed 26 and used. The textual data was read by all authors, who identified meaning units, coded and organised them into sub-categories and categories ( Figure 1 ). The authors discussed the categories emerging from the data. After analysing two FGDs and all individual interviews, we decided to conduct a focus group with women born in Asian countries to check for potential variation in the phenomenon of skin bleaching by continents. However, similar findings were acquired.

Example of the analytical process moving from interview text to meaning units, sub-categories, and categories.

Study group

The combined clinical, research and life experiences of the multidisciplinary group of researchers ensured capacity to perform this mixed methods study with competence. ED and BMA planned the study and JO, PhD-student born in Kenya, but resident in Sweden during the study period, carried out the qualitative discussions and interviews. BMA, also born in Kenya, has vast relevant experience on the interplay of ethnicity and women's health issues in various African countries. JI, BMA and ED brought expertise on the analysis of qualitative data to the team. ED, gynecologist/obstetrician, consultant at the university hospital during the study period, contributed with clinical knowledge and practice of both quantitative and qualitative research.

Ethical clearance

Permission for the study was obtained from the Regional Ethical Review Board, Uppsala,Sweden (Dnr 2011/020). All women in the study were given verbal and written information on the principle of voluntary participation to ensure that they were not obliged to participate and could decide to stop without implications for their health care. When a pregnant woman decided to answer the anonymous questionnaire and leave it in the sealed box, we considered she had provided informed concept to participate in the study, a procedure accepted by the ethics review committee. The questionnaires were anonymous, thus findings could not be linked to any respondent.

Quantitative

During the study period, 857 pregnant women attended the antenatal clinic for routine ultrasound examinations and 455 (53%) completed the study questionnaires ( Table 1 ). Eighty-five percent (388) of the participants were born in Sweden, 14% (65) were born in other countries, and two women did not indicate their birth country. Sixty percent of the participants had completed a university education. The foreign-born participants were originally from 39 countries, 17 in Europe, 13 in the Middle East and Asia, eight in Africa and one in South America. There were no significant differences between users and non-users according to age or parity. Twelve of the 455 women (2.6%) stated they used skin bleaching products. Four women were Swedish, three were originally from Asian countries, two from African countries, two from the Middle East, and one woman did not list her country of origin, parity or highest education. Significantly more women (p=<0,001) born in other countries were current users (12%) of skin bleaching products, than the Swedish born women.

Distribution of pregnant women in Sweden on usage of skin bleaching products

The women used these products for prolonged periods, all but one stating they had used the products for either 3 to 6 years or more than 6 years. The women primarily used cream products, and mainly applied the products to their faces. The majority of women (72.7%) using the products were satisfied with the results, and no one mentioned any side effects from the products.

Qualitative

Sixteen participants were foreign-born women, ranging in age from 22 to 50 years. They had all immigrated to Sweden from African and Asian countries including Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam and India. The results of the FGDs and individual interviews support the findings from the questionnaire, that bleaching products are used in Sweden, and primarily by immigrant women. The interviews disentangled some of the complex reasons why women use these products; how the safety and efficacy of the products is perceived; and how easily skin bleaching products are obtained. Three categories were developed through the analysis process.

Motivating factors

Bleaching practices and womens' motivations for it, were discussed with ease, and described as constant and ubiquitous both in women's home countries and social circles in Sweden — a common daily activity, similar to “brushing one's teeth”. On the surface, the primary motivation for skin bleaching was explained simply as a means “to be much more beautiful”. There was no consensus amongst participants on an ideal image or definition of beauty, but it was accepted that beauty equated to fairer skin, with fairness being a relative concept. These discussions typically turned to the factors underlying the equation of fair skin and beauty. Participants commented on the role of Western and local media and marketing influences in transporting and perpetuating a Western image, and how producers attempt to appeal to local standards of beauty by using models from the region.

Look at all the celebrities and all the advertisements. All those people on those posters look almost white. If it were not for their other physical features, they would pass for white people. And who does not want to become as popular as them? (Thai woman).

A commonly shared explanation for the positive correlation between fair skin and beauty was that it extended to a range of tangible social and economic benefits, including access to better job opportunities, higher social status, better marriage proposals, and better life circumstances in general.

Women who are lighter skinned are seen to be more beautiful… some do it to be able to get rich men for marriage, or even to get good jobs. Office jobs are normally left for pretty and light girls. (African FGD).

Some women even apply these products to their children in Sweden. You find them using different creams on the children to make their complexions lighter…so they do not get dark. (Burundi woman)

The participants referred mostly to skin bleaching practices in their home countries. However, they consistently agreed that the same beliefs and motivations for skin bleaching applied to their lives in Sweden. Thus the practice of skin bleaching, and the beliefs underlying it, seem to follow with immigration.

Light-skinned women are treated better back home and yes even here in Sweden. (Kenyan woman).

Perceived health risks

The FGDs included awareness and concerns about potential health risks associated with the use of skin bleaching products. A number of superficial side effects to the skin were mentioned, especially discolouration, greyness, redness and patching. Other women disagreed that the products had any negative side effects, or did not consider them significant.

Some people have been using these creams for a long time and I rarely see any side effects. I have been using it on my face for six years now and my face is much smoother than it ever has been. I think the side effects are overrated . (Asian FGD).

Other health consequences were cited, such as wounds that would not heal, skin infections, allergies, ulcers and thinned skin. It is notable that much of this knowledge was based on speculation or hearsay.

There are many people who say that those who bleach, especially those who use tablets and injections, cannot be operated upon as their skin is so thin and does not heal properly. I do not know how true that is,… who knows, but the chemicals in these products cannot be without any side effects? (African FGD).

In regard to the safety of the products, participants had little knowledge about the contents or ingredients in skin bleaching products, nor any potential side effects including potential transmission through the placenta with effects to the foetus.

I don't think the products have side effects for pregnancies or children…if you are just applying it on your skin, then I think it's only the mother being affected. (African FGD).

The ingredient lists on product packages were not considered helpful as they primarily contain names without meaning for the average consumer. Where negative health consequences were mentioned in the discussions, they were attributed to use of cheaper or homemade bleaching products. Expensive products were perceived to be safe(r).

Some people use Jik, you know that product for keeping clothes white? They shower and scrub their bodies with Jik. There are many household products that people use, especially those that are acid-based. They really sting and burn the skin…Women who have lots of money use pills and injections to lighten their skin. That way, they get a more uniform skin change…some of the creams irritate the skin, so it's much better with the injections and pills. (African FGD).

Another belief was that the effects of bleaching are reversed upon discontinuation of use. This discussion touched on the psychological complexity inherent in the use of skin bleaching products.

It is very difficult to stop bleaching. You see, when you stop using them, you reverse the benefits. Even though many people lighten their skin, they do not want people to know they are engaged in the practice. Many people like lighter-skinned women, but they look down upon skin bleaching practice. So many people that do bleach will rarely stop . (African FGD).

Availability of skin bleaching products in Sweden

Participants were unanimous that an extensive range of products are readily available for purchase in various shops in Sweden and on the internet.

Skin lightening in Sweden is very common…There are many people who bleach their skin here… You can get a range of products here in Sweden, some I had never even seen before I came here. (Thai woman).

The women in our study also explained that skin bleaching supplies were frequently brought back to Sweden following visits to their home countries, or were sent by post from friends and family.

In this study we find that potentially toxic skin bleaching products are easily obtained and used in Sweden and long-term use is the norm also during pregnancy. Mahé et al, reports from Senegal that the cosmetic use of hydroquinone and corticosteroids were extensively prevalent among pregnant women and with negative impact on birth and placenta weights 3 . Skin bleaching is motivated by complex psychological, economic and social factors. In agreement with other studies, we found that having a lighter shade of skin colour is always preferable, irrespective of one's original colour 21 . According to Franklin in, ‘Living in a Barbie world,’ “there exists a social premium on light skin across races and this is a manifestation of white privilege. Regardless of one's race, being closer to looking white accrues privileges tied to being white” 21 . The disproportionately high social capital attributed to fair skin is so powerful that women in our study spoke about mothers who also bleached their children's skin.

A global overview of the geographic distribution of wealth based on household income shows the biggest gaps in equality fall cleanly along racial lines 27 . Margaret Hunter writes that, “Many female bleachers observe the acute correlation between race and socio-economic class and want to improve their opportunities in the local employment and marriage markets, as well as adopt a cosmopolitan, modern identity” 28 . The respondents in our study adhered to the same perception, that fairer skin is endowed with both social privilege and financial advantage and thus bleaching is motivated by aesthetic ideal, but also on a calculated analysis.

Hunter writes that there is shame around skin lightening in some cultures “either because one should ‘naturally’ have light skin, not chemically derived light skin, or because some believe that lightening the skin implies a shame of one's race or ethnic identity” 28 . We did not focus on the psychological impact of skin bleaching in our study, and further research on shame or stigma associated with the practice is necessary.

Public health information and necessary consumer information on the potential health risks of skin bleaching is limited and we found that women use skin bleaching products without adequate information about their potential health risks. Neither health care practitioners nor governments have prioritised this as important patient and public health information. Furthermore our results indicate that national and international regulations, including prohibitions, on the manufacture and distribution of skin bleaching products, have not affected the availability of the products.

Strengths and limitations

A detailed description of the study design and participants has been provided for the readers to ensure trustworthiness and transferability of the findings. JO and BMA, both African women, have personal experience as immigrants in Sweden, which may have facilitated participants in relating to the topic and engaging in the interviews.

We chose to keep the questionnaire short, to reduce the burden for potential participants awaiting their ultrasound. With 53% responded, we have no information from those who decided not to answer, and thus true prevalance could be different from what was found. Irrespective, skin bleaching is present in Swedish society, and among pregnant women, with potential health effects. The target group of pregnant women in the quantitative part of the study can be discussed. Sweden is a multiethnic country and we wanted to mirror the population and not only explore the practice of skin bleaching among women of colour. We were interested to determine if prevalence was high enough to continue with testing for toxic products in the umbilical cord, blood, hair and urine of newborns, which we had ethical clearance to do. However, prevalence was low, and we concluded that the sample size for such an investigation could not be reached at present time in Sweden. A limitation was that we asked participants for their country of origin, rather than their ethnicity or skin colour, which would have been optimal and should be refined in future studies. Information on specific brands of skin bleaching products were not included in the questionnaire, thus we do not know the exact products and cannot assess their relative harmfulness or toxicity. Our study population reflected national statistics for pregnant women in Sweden regarding age, parity and immigration background, except for a slightly higher proportion with university education, which is not surprising as the study was performed in a university region.

This study illustrates a practice used among pregnant women and immigrant women. It shows the need to bring such knowledge forward in public and antenatal health services, particularly regarding the potential negative effects, as has been done with warnings regarding smoking and drinking alcohol. We do not know the extent of skin bleaching practice among non-pregnant women, and studies are needed to investigate this population as well. However cultural practices continue to spread globally and adverse medical effects will be strenuous on already limited health care resources. We encourage continued research into the multiple dimensions and implications of skin bleaching such as motivating factors for the use of these products, toxicity, sale, purchase and trade and identify effective alternative skin bleaching agents. Information on the potential adverse health effects is needed 29 , and studies of the health implications for infants, has to be carried out in a country where cosmetic skin bleaching is more commonly used than in Sweden 3 . As bleaching products are sold and used in Sweden, this knowledge is important to advocate for changes to the deeply-rooted and more insidious factors, such as racism, and to challenge widespread associations between fairer complexions, social status and beauty.

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The Price of Perky Boobs

“Look at my boobs and tell me what you think.”

I’m a 20-year-old retail assistant, beseeching an older colleague and close friend, to evaluate my bare breasts in the backroom after hours. Unbuckling my bra, I stand before her, totally exposed. “What are you talking about?” She responds. “They’re fine!” After years of self-critiquing, I wasn’t convinced.

While the perceived ‘perfect’ size of breasts have fluctuated with time, breasts have always been beholden to one immovable standard: perky. Those with breasts that align with this archetype may consider their boobs a source of #freethenipple empowerment. Other women feel a kind of wearied distaste for their tatas; forgoing a bra is inconceivable, and god forbid they go on top. Some have embraced a kind of ‘it-is-what-it-is’ booby ambivalence.

I spent several college summers fitting bras at a contemporary lingerie chain—measuring breasts, buckling brassieres and at times, literally lifting flesh into cups—so I have met all these women. I have been them, too. When the pandemic found me in my mid-20s – prompting a massive lifestyle shift and a discovery of disordered eating. I’d moved to the west coast and, without daily walking around New York City, took up running and downloaded Noom, a calorie counter app that promptly capped my daily intake at 1200 calories. (Editor’s note: Research has shown that calorie tracking, including with apps, may contribute to eating disorders.) Within three months, my breasts descended four bra sizes, taking my nipples with them. With that, my boobs entered their new, deflated era, and for the first time, I felt incentivized to confront the issue.

I was not the only one to recently research breast lifts —the number of people searching for them peaked during summer 2021, and has continued to spike each summer since, according to Google Trends. It’s coincided with the arrival of Ozempic , forcing women—and myself—into the same societally-constructed conundrum. Weight loss? We like it. Small, saggy breasts caused by weight loss? Unacceptable. From 2019 to 2023, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons says there was a 30 percent increase in requests for breast lifts (mastopexies)—placing the procedure in direct competition with its more popular sister: implants. “I want my titties pinned back to my shoulders, right where they used to be,” Rihanna revealed in last month’s issue of Interview . “I don’t want implants. I just want a lift.”

New York-based board-certified plastic surgeon Norman Rowe has made his name on the Upper East Side and beyond as a breast expert. In the past year, his requests for lifts have almost tripled—an exponential increase that he says is a result of rampant semaglutide use."

“I get a lot of women who've lost a substantial amount of weight, especially with Ozempic ,” he says. “The more weight someone loses—and the quicker they lose it—the more impact that has on the skin. Body procedures are just going through the roof, 30 percent of our business is now dedicated to face, breast and back lifts.”

When I first consulted with Dr. Rowe for a breast lift , he sketched the anchor-like incision required. He would cut around the areola, down the center of the breast, removing excess skin and raising the nipple so it no longer faces down. This would not create cleavage or add fullness. For that, he emphasized, you need an implant.

“A lift will take care of the sag in the skin, it will take care of the position of the nipple, but it will not address the volume loss of the upper poles of cleavage,” he says. (“Upper poles” is how plastic surgeons refer to the breast tissue above the nipple.) Patients often come in without realizing the limitation of a breast lift, says Dr. Rowe. “There is a misconception among patients of what a lift is. So I figured out the way to ask if they wanted an augmentation or a lift was, ‘Do you want cleavage ?’ Either you want to get bigger and your cleavage to change, or you want to be the same size but get rid of the droopiness.”

I fit into the latter group, or so I thought. Anyone who remembers the 90s will also remember that buxom beauties were not only abundant but considered femininity made manifest. Even if you joined in on the bimbo jokes that shamed the cosmetically enhanced likes of Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra, their perfectly rounded, perky breasts were still taped to the bedroom walls of your school crush. Anything less than a squeeze-worthy palmful, anything that succumbed to gravity, would be passed over by Playboy editors—relegated instead to the readership of National Geographic.

In the weeks leading up to my surgery, I would debate the pros and cons of implants over and over again. Like Dr. Rowe, I was struggling to understand my expectations. Due to their generally higher placement, my nipples would be raised only an inch. With the removal of skin, my 34D boobs would likely decrease by a half or a whole cup size. Was it worth going through all of this, just for slightly smaller tits with slightly higher nipples? Would I be satisfied with, well, a slight difference?

This was also plaguing Dr. Rowe, who responded to my initial consultation with multiple surgical plans. “One of the key things that I try to ascertain when I'm examining a patient: what are their true expectations and, more importantly, are they realistic for the patient?”

When Dr. Rowe first opened his private practice in 2004, he was routinely implanting 500 and 600cc implants—for reference, one cup size is around 250cc. With larger implants dropping faster, creating sagging, he says women have trended smaller in the last five years. Fat transfer enhancements, popular among those seeking natural-looking breasts, can calcify into hard lumps and be mistaken for cancer during mammography—resulting in additional surgery. The complications and shelf lives associated with implants have also become more well-known : follow-up implant removal or replacement surgeries after 10 years or sooner, and ruptured implants need to be replaced in up to 17.7% percent of patients after 6 or 10 years (the rupture rate after revision augmentation is between 2.9% and 14.7%). Breast implant illness is a controversial topic—it’s a term patients came up with, rather than a medical diagnosis; there’s a lack of data on the topic; and no real agreement about what the symptoms are, though patients tend to name hard-to-track ones, like fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, rash, memory loss—but the FDA and many doctors agree there’s still much to learn, Grant Stevens, the president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and a clinical professor of plastic surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, previously told to Allure .

Still, the promise of built-in cleavage was tempting. I wanted to go braless without insecurity. Wear plunging dresses without experimenting with endless sticky cutlets. I didn’t want to tug up my breasts in tight tops. At the same time, I didn’t want to go bigger, and I didn’t want to possibly undergo multiple surgeries on my breasts as I aged. My heart just wasn’t in the implants.

“Whereas I used to do a lot of breast implant mastopexies—where you put in the implants at the same time—today, I'm probably doing a larger number of mastopexies [breast lifts] alone,” he says.

Post-consultation, the options Dr. Rowe offered me were a mastopexy with a small implant or a mastopexy with an internal bra. The internal bra is a lesser-known procedure that originated in the ‘80s, reaching wider awareness more recently, Rowe says, with the help of a rebrand and big marketing push . Originally, the internal bra was a kind of cone shape (picture Madonna) created from a Gore-tex mesh. Over time, there were claims the mesh may have been obscuring mammography, and insurance companies began rejecting claims for mammograms if the patient had an internal bra. That’s where Galaflex came in. A new internal bra material first implemented around 2016, it’s best described as an absorbable mesh sewn into the chest wall.

“Think of it as a hammock,” says Dr. Rowe. “It goes underneath the implant [around existing breast tissue] and keeps it from descending over time. You don't need a full cone because you’re not pulling anything up—but you are protecting the implant from moving down after two years. You have your own sling.”

A lot of breast surgeries rely on skin to hold up an implant or (in the case of a lift-only) breast tissue, Dr. Rowe explained to me, but skin is not capable of bearing weight. Someone who has skin that has been stretched from rapid weight loss is a perfect candidate for an internal bra because that stretching of the skin weakens the layer of collagen that’s usually a built-in structure to prevent descent. But after Galaflex dissolves, in about 1-2 years, “it gets replaced by collagen — which would not have been there otherwise,” says Dr. Rowe, an assessment validated by studies published in the journals Aesthetic Surgery ( in 2022 and 2016) and Plastic and Aesthetic Research . “While the internal bra itself is gone, its impact remains.”

This was enough to convince me to get an internal bra, which starts at $10,000 at Dr. Rowe's practice, making the cost of a breast lift with an internal bra $40,000 and up. While I was assured the results of an internal bra are not permanent—Dr. Rowe said I could expect them to last for at least 10 years—it does make it less likely for the breasts to droop over time. And an internal bra is less likely to interfere with breastfeeding—something that may or may not be in my future—than an implant.

My surgery took around an hour and a half. I was in the clinic by 7:30am, put under general anesthesia, and awake around 11:30am. During the procedure, Dr. Rowe removed excess skin and sewed the gauze to my ribcage, reshaping the remaining skin and tissue to lift my breasts and nipples while reducing the size of my areolas. I was back to my hotel room in a surgical bra by noon. Recovery requires you to wear a surgical bra, day and night, for at least a month — eventually downgrading to a sports bra until around six weeks. A surgical bra is a wireless bralette that closes at the front (so you don’t have to stretch your arms back), and feels very lightweight but also extremely tight. The compression helps with the swelling but also keeps the breasts in their proper place as they heal. I was unable to sleep on my side for around 10 days, and there’s no lifting more than 10 pounds, or working out other than walking, for three weeks. Following that, scar tape or gel on the sutured areas (around the areola, down and under the breast) is an everyday essential for a year.

This dress was impossible for me to wear without a bra before, now they sit perfectly without any support.

The first several days require heavy reliance on another person. For the first 48 hours, my boyfriend lifted and lowered me into bed, dressed me, and brushed my hair and teeth because I couldn’t raise my arms. I was encouraged to walk the next day, and allowed to fly or drive if necessary on the second (I’d traveled to New York City for the surgery, and had booked my flight back home two days later). I had full mobility again by day three or four, but the discomfort should also not be underestimated—specifically with the internal bra. I felt a constant pang and tugging pain on my ribcage that affected even the most basic activities (like lifting groceries or shaving my legs) for the first several weeks.

For the first 24 hours, I was in so much pain that I cried all the way through my post-op appointment the next morning. In the first 24 hours, I was taking a low-dose prescription opiate by itself, which wasn’t enough pain medication, so Dr. Rowe recommended I take it in conjunction with Extra Strength Tylenol. (He compared Tylenol to the main meal, while Oxycodone and Tramadol were a kind of ‘chaser’—supplementing the OTC medication should I need something stronger.) Through my tears, I revealed my new, bruised breasts to Dr. Rowe. Upon inspecting his work, the surgeon concluded he was “very happy” with the results.

“You're trying to make their soul better,” he explains of cosmetic surgery. “While I'm not taking out their appendix, when a patient sees themselves as having a flaw–rightfully so or not–you're trying to correct it. And sometimes to them, it's life and death. Honestly, down deep, I'm a fixer. Seeing a problem and getting a solution, a good solution, it's gratifying.”

I didn’t look at my breasts for the first week—a mostly unconscious choice. For as long as I remember, I have avoided looking at my breasts entirely. Even before my weight loss changed their appearance significantly I always felt unsatisfied with them on a bad day, or ambivalent at best. Eight days after surgery, I unzipped my surgical bra and inspected the result for the first time. Dr. Rowe had reduced the size of my areolas, raised the nipples, and rounded my breasts into two symmetrical mounds. The anchor-shaped incision was sutured with almost invisible stitches. I was looking at boobs I had only seen on screen, or on my most genetically-blessed friends.

I turn away from the mirror. The change might seem slight to some, but to me, mastopexy had made a world of difference. “Tell me what you think,” I say to my boyfriend. “They’re perfect,” he responds. This time, I believed the beholder.

To read more about plastic surgery:

• Breast Lifts Are on the Way Up
• 13 People Get Real About Their Facelifts
• I’m 96 and I’ve Had 3 Facelifts — Here’s What I Learned

Now watch Brooke Shields' 10 Minute Beauty Routine:

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Skin bleaching essay by AP

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Prof. Dr. Somia Gul

Women more often try to whiten their skin and as a consequence poison their bodies. A survey was performed to study the awareness in people, particularly women, about hazards caused by skin lightening creams and bleach creams due to the presence of chemical agents like mercury, steroids and hydroquinone. The Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) mentioned that many dangerous chemicals inclusive steroid and mercury ipecac were being used in face whitening creams that might lead to skin diseases inclusive skin cancer and black spots on the skin. The only skin bleaching chemical recognized by the FDA is hydroquinone but, any skin bleaching cream with over 2% may cause severe side effects. The aim of the study was to examine the awareness as well as misuse of skin whitening products along with other steroidal drugs. It is the matter of fact that fairness creams contain potentially harmful steroids, to attain fair complexion. A sample size of 200 women was distr...

marwa azhari

Dermatology and therapy

Nihal Mohamed

Skin-bleaching practices, such as using skin creams and soaps to achieve a lighter skin tone, are common throughout the world and are triggered by cosmetic reasons that oftentimes have deep historical, economic, sociocultural, and psychosocial roots. Exposure to chemicals in the bleaching products, notably, mercury (Hg), hydroquinone, and steroids, has been associated with a variety of adverse health effects, such as Hg poisoning and exogenous ochronosis. In New York City (NYC), skin care product use has been identified as an important route of Hg exposure, especially among Caribbean-born blacks and Dominicans. However, surprisingly sparse information is available on the epidemiology of the health impacts of skin-bleaching practices among these populations. We highlight the dearth of large-scale, comprehensive, community-based, clinical, and translational research in this area, especially the limited skin-bleaching-related research among non-White populations in the US. We offer fiv...

Christopher A . D . Charles

African Health Sciences

Jennifer Infanti

Environmental Research

Hmong Studies Journal

This study examines the behaviors, experiences, and attitudes towards skin lightening products of Hmong college students in Saint Paul, Minnesota during Fall of 2017. The role of colorism/racism is well-known to result in the use of skin lightening products globally. The Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency recently identified the use of mercury based products in the Hmong community as a significant health concern. Current outreach surrounding the presence of mercury in these products is minimal and knowledge of the products containing mercury and/or the consequences of mercury are unknown to the community. Four focus groups were conducted at three local colleges with members of college Hmong Student Associations. Our findings reveal familial and community relationships, generational differences, and American and contemporary Korean (K-pop) culture influence Hmong American beauty ideals. This research contributes significant knowledge to our understa...

INDONESIA NATURAL RESEARCH PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL

Wury Damayantie

Whitening cream is a preparation or mixture of ingredients used on the outside of the body to brighten or change the color of the skin, resulting in clean and white skin. Many people, particularly women, use cosmetics to improve the appearance of their skin, one of which is whitening cream. Many producers saw this opportunity and added mercury and hydroquinone to increase the number of consumers because the product will be cheaper and provide faster results to their skin with these ingredients. This study aims to conduct a qualitative analysis of whitening creams circulating in Balikpapan. To achieve this goal, four samples A, B, C, and D were analyzed using the KI color test method, the flame test, and the color reagent method to determine the presence of mercury and hydroquinone.The findings of the qualitative test of the mercury and hydroquinone content in the whitening cream circulating in the city of Balikpapan revealed that three samples, namely samples B, C, and D, were known...

Journal of Health and Pollution

Andre Gordon

Background. Skin bleaching is a major health concern among Jamaicans. A common ingredient in skin lightening products is mercury. Mercury is a toxic substance that can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system and kidneys. Objective. The objectives of this study were to use different analytical techniques to measure mercury concentrations in popular skin lightening products used in Jamaica and to assess individual levels of mercury exposure based on product usage. Methods. Sixty skin lightening products were purchased from different vendors across various locations in Jamaica. Each product was initially screened for mercury using a portable handheld energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer. In addition, 25 out of 60 products were further measured using cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy (CVAAS). Questionnaires were distributed to users of skin lightening products to determine their usage patterns. Results. Six products had mercury concentrations ab...

Journal of Public Health Research

Terry Mohammed

Background. Skin lightening is very popular among women and some men of the Caribbean, and its popularity appears to be growing. The lightening of skin colour is done to produce a lighter complexion which is believed to increase attractiveness, social standing and improves one’s potential of being successful. Design and Methods. Fifteen (15) common skin lightening creams found in pharmacies and cosmetic retailers throughout Trinidad and Tobago were evaluated for Mercury by Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (CVAAS) and Arsenic by Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (HGAAS). The results obtained were compared to global standards and previous research. Results. Fourteen (14) of the fifteen samples analysed contained Mercury in the range of 0.473 μg/g to 0.766 μg/g. One sample had a Mercury content of 14,507.74±490.75 μg/g which was over 14,000 times higher than the USFDA limit for mercury in cosmetics of 1 μg/g. All samples contained Arsenic in the range...

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