Abstract
Skin lightening, −toning, −whitening, −brightening, and -fading are different expressions used to describe procedures aimed at bleaching the skin, and this list is not exhaustive. Some deny the aim to change the color of their skin and instead claim they just want to “keep the color,” but ultimately, women as well as men are on a quest for lighter skin. In interviews, the reasons given range from attaining beauty and an enhanced self-esteem to accessing increased opportunities in life and attractiveness to potential romantic partners. This comes as no surprise since media and advertisements portray light-skinned people as icons of beauty and success. Aside from the negative psychological impact, the practice of skin bleaching also leads to cutaneous and systemic adverse effects.
Keywords
- Skin bleaching
- Skin lightening
- Skin brightening
- Skin toning
- Skin whitening
- Artificial depigmentation
- Hydroquinone
- Exogenous ochronosis
- Nail hyperpigmentation
- Mercury
- Striae distensae
- Steroid-induced acne
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Donkor, C.M.Y.A., Aryee-Boi, J., Osazuwa, I.R., Afflu, F.K., Alexis, A.F. (2021). Skin Bleaching. In: Atlas of Dermatological Conditions in Populations of African Ancestry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72617-1_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72617-1_8
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