Should I have been shocked to the core when I heard a twenty year old girl from Thailand comment in front of all “I want to be white like you two!” She was referring to a tall blonde, Swedish model and a pretty blue eyed male photographer from Cumbria, both fresh faced with fair complexions. The young Thai girl spoke in a very matter of fact manner, wearing her golden brown skin tone with a complexion like the tanning lotions many of the fairer complexions would have applied, to look like her!
I guess I felt in the middle of this, as yes, it is very well known that Africans and Asians have built into their culture that having a ’ lighter skin’ is better than a ‘darker skin’. I strongly believe that this is due to aspects of ‘slavery’ and ‘subordinance ‘within past history and culture. But, what of the psychology of this? Has this been handed down through the centuries, stemming back to those days of slavery and cast systems, that have only now been wrapped up in a pretty covering due to advertising, media and beauty magazines telling us, that this is still desireable, and now that you are free from the shackles of ‘slavery’ and ‘subordinance’ you can now be a slave to the desires of looking and becoming whatever you wish to be? Or is it much simpler than that?
We know that it is not only about the skin tone, but also for every aspect of our bodies. It is also old knowledge that we always want to look like someone other than ourself! Many Africans and Asians have now become addicted to Hydroquinone content creams, as this is known to be the most effective product that will lighten the skin to the desired effects, but at what costs?
Hydroquinone is a chemical-like bleaching agent that is incorporated into creams and lotion. It fades discolouration in the skin such as hyper pigmentation, sun spots, and dark marks. The dark marks fade because of the prevention of formation of melanin in skin. It is also used in photo processing materials. In the US, when present at 2%, hydroquinone is recognised as being safe to use over the counter. At 3% and 4% it is available on prescription.
Hydroquinone use and it’s safety has been questionable across Japan, Australia and in the European Union. It was banned in these countries, due to research being carried out with links to cancer causing diseases such as Leukemia, and detection of high levels of mercury found in people using hydroquinone cream products. Excessive use or incorrect dosage due to illegal products, can result in the skin peeling off, or can even do a complete 360 degree turn around, and create damage to the skin that can leave even darker patches than you started off with!
It is easy for us to say, just leave yourself the way you are as you are beautiful the way you were born. But what about those that are born with skin conditions that have blemishes and unsightly uneven skin tones already on the surface of their skin? How different and out of place does one feel when faced with the perfect models, actors and singers, who have their photos and videos airbrushed to perfection. The everyday ‘normal person’ wants to look perfect too, because that's what is shown to them. Look, I am not saying that most of us will go to the lengths that others might go as far, to obtain a desired skin, but the line has been distorted with a few, and many in parts of the world such as Africa and Asia. A large percentage of the population in Africa and Asia have taken their perfectly flawless skin and reversed it to an irritating and scarring skin condition, something that they now have to possibly face living with for the rest of their lives, such as those those that are born into it, or have experienced accidents or food allergy reactions that leave them with unsightly marks, who may never ever have considered using such a cream or lotion to get rid of their marks in the first place!
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