The late Afro-beat maestro, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, in his album “Yellow Fever”, made scathing criticism of post-colonial Nigerians who cannot shake their “colonial mentality.” Fela criticized women who bleach their skin as an act of beauty, contemptuously adding that, despite what they think, it only makes them less attractive.
Precious, 23, is an undergraduate of a tertiary institution in Lagos, she vigorously rubs the cream over her body. She does this carefully and makes sure the pink-colored creamy product gets to all part of her body. Precious said she is not bleaching but she wants to make her skin fairer.
She believes fairer skin could be her ticket to a better life, so she spends her cash on cheap black-market concoctions that promise to lighten her pigment. According to Precious, this has been a daily routine for the past2 years. Now several shades lighter she says her new skin makes her feel more beautiful and confident.
Skin lightening products are popular in Nigeria, according to a report by the World Health Organisation, 77percent of Nigerian women use skin lightening products regularly, compared with 59percent in Togo, 35percent in South Africa, and 27percent in Senegal. In fact, bleaching products are reportedly one of the most sought-after household items by African women, alongside essentials like soap, milk, and tea.
Visit to major stores by BusinessDay shows that the skin lightening products come in different forms, including soaps and creams, pills, injectables and so on. The soap is often sold as “antiseptic soap” that is applied to the skin to dry overnight or used to wash the hair, arms or face or the entire body, while the creams are generally packaged in tubes or jars, the pills come in a tiny capsule.
In major stores across cities in the country, skin lightening products have found a permanent home with new brands making an entry into the market almost daily, while offering a different value proposition for its customers.
The beauty products also come in different prices ranging for as low as N2,500 to as high as 200,000. The use of lightening products cut across all ages and social status. While the older generation used creams and soaps, the new generation uses pills and injectables.
The rich tend to opt for pricier registered products which are available in standard doses, others are likely to buy creams and soaps.
Last year, American model and entrepreneur, Blac Cyna launched her whitening product, Whitenicious in Lagos. The cream which comes in a crystal jar, promises to hydrate, restore and lighten skin tone “without bleaching it out” and over time users are expected to notice a “marked reduction” in age spots and a lightened appearance.
Madam Mercy owns a cosmetics shop on the popular Toyin Street, in Ikeja according to her 90 percent of her clients demand skin whitening products. According to Mercy, most of her customers are in a haste to lighten their skin.
“I sell it to them and give advice on what product is best for them and how to use them,” she said.
Akin Oderinu, a dermatologist said there are several health implications attached to using whitening products.
According to him,skin-lightening products are not effectively regulated in Nigeria as they are available everywhere in various forms, from roadside vendors to high-end stores.
The Nigerian government should look to push public awareness campaigns and educate Nigerians on the adverse effects of skin-bleaching.
“If people were adequately informed about the repercussions of their actions, they might reconsider them,” he said.
OLUFIKAYO OWOEYE
