BUSTING FAIRNESS CREAM MYTHS
· Unhealthy fetish for fairness creams is commonly seen in adolescent kids, as they begin to get attention from the opposite sex, leading to obsession over everything to do with appearance.
· What is worrisome is that kids as young as six years are now conscious of their skin colour.
1. Facts about skin colour
· First, our skin derives its colour from the cells in the dermis and epidermis layers of the skin.
· Second, blood vessels provide a red or blue tint depending on the level of oxygen.
· Third, greater the content of a pigment called melanin, darker the skin tone.
· The level of melanin in the skin is genetically determined.
· Europeans have very light skin, as they have very little of this pigment.
· Africans have very high melanin content, which is why they have dark skin.
· Indian skin is of type 4 or type 5 category, which is somewhere in between these two.
· This pigment plays a crucial role in protecting the skin from harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.
2. How do fairness creams work?
· Most fairness creams hinder production of melanin, and are, in fact, mere sun blocks.
· They offer protection from sun exposure which otherwise triggers production of excess melanin.
· Most fairness creams do not disclose their contents, many of which could cause potential damage to the skin in the long run.
· Worse, many of these creams do absolutely nothing that they promise.
3. What goes into a fairness cream?
· Fairness creams might contain chemicals like hydroquinone, mercury and other harmful steroids.
· Hydroquinone and mercury are both toxic and harmful chemicals, used in the production of hair dye.
· When these chemicals come in direct contact with the sun’s ultra-violet rays for long periods, they re-oxidise, leading to patchy skin and premature ageing.
· Hydroquinone also solidifies collagen fibres, damaging the connective tissues, and causes rough and spotty skin.
· Mercury can also damage the nervous system, cause kidney problems, organ failure and even hearing impairments.