Black face, white legs
I recently consulted with a man in his early 50s. As he walked in, I wondered what was wrong with him because he looked perfectly fine outwardly. Well, until he showed me his legs.
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They were porcelain white with brown spots where hair should have been. This contrasted with his ebony face and neck. His arms were on their way to looking like his legs but they seemed to be on a slower train.
The man’s story was simple. He had been using his wife’s cosmetic creams for his dry skin. He thought nothing of it until one day he noticed that his legs were becoming fair.
Although I thought it interesting that he did not know the names of the creams, he continued using them despite their whitening effect on his legs (he denied having any skin problem on his legs that he had wanted to rectify in the first place, other than they being dry), his story is not uncommon.
I find that among clients, general knowledge of cosmetics and their ingredients is either limited or non-existent. Many take up the advice of friends, family members and ‘concerned observers’ and out of desperation to find a solution to their skin problems, use all sorts of lotions, potions and concoctions; some of which have frightening consequences.
A day never goes by without an encounter with at least one client who has used triple-action creams (usually steroids, antibacterial and antifungal) as part of their daily skin care regimen, many having used them for years.
There is no wonder that ochronosis (discolouration of skin) and skin bleaching (which now has a less condemning and more socially acceptable phrase ‘skin toning’) are rife in Ghana.
I recall asking a young lady why she desired to have her skin lighter. She said confidently that it was the best way to attract men.
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In her circle of friends, they attended a lot of funerals, and as is our custom, dark attires are usually worn for such events. The ladies who were fairer glowed in their dark clothes thus catching the eyes of interested men.
Sexual magnetism equalled lighter skin. I could not believe it and voiced it out. She challenged me by asking why I thought all the caucasian women she saw in town were being courted by our men.
I nearly gave her my theory that, unfortunately, some men ignorantly thought all caucasians had money, as in the colonial days; but that was for another discussion.
I preferred not to start a debate of debunking her theory but rather offered my professional counsel of what was best to do for her skin and the risks involved if she continued the practice of skin bleaching.
I was stunned when I recently saw a photograph of a popular Ghanaian boxer. I initially thought his picture had been photoshopped because he had become very fair. Then more photographs circulated on social media and I begun to wonder what was going on with his health.
Admittedly, I was deeply saddened when I finally saw an interview he granted explaining the change in his skin colour. It was deliberate and he proudly stated that he and his wife wanted to become fair.
When asked if he was unconcerned about the health implications, I recall him saying that it was his decision to make and he was sticking to it, no matter what the consequences were.
Seeing clients and personalities like these described, make me feel that a lot of changes and education have to be made in our society.
We were created with our skin colour for a reason. It serves as a protective barrier against the harmful effect of which we are exposed to almost all year round.
It was previously thought that skin cancer was rare in black skin but it could not be farther from the truth, especially with climate change.
We need to love the skin we were born with and proper care taken of it. Once we lose our skin pigment, that is it! It is irreplaceable. No cream can reverse it. It is important, therefore, that we make our skin care decisions wisely.
Education is important. We need to encourage clients, friends and loved ones to read labels and ask questions. In the era of the internet, researching into products can be very useful. Inasmuch as we wish to share information or be helpful to others, it is imperative that we do not give our medications to others who seemingly have similar medical problems as we do.
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Many skin conditions look alike. For example, using a steroid cream for one’s eczema is recommended (for short periods at a time) but may be ill-advised in fungal infections that can look quite similar.
Consult with a dermatologist if uncertain of what products to use.
Another area worth addressing is our drug regulation. It is no secret that steroid creams can be found openly on our markets and that they can be purchased without a doctor’s prescription. This is wrong.
These products, often expired, end up in the wrong hands and the effects can be dire. Our drug regulatory body needs a firmer hand in this regard.
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The cosmetic industry must also take responsibility for their products and make consumers aware of their ingredients and the potential side effects, such as skin bleaching.
I look forward to the day when skin lightening products would have bold labels like cigarette packs do, warning of side effects.
At least, consumers would then have the necessary information to help them to make informed decisions. Our skin is the largest bodily organ and it is what everyone sees.
Great care must therefore be taken to protect it.
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