Skin-lightening, whitening, and bleaching products are prolific in Black and Brown communities worldwide, but they have had a particularly strong impact in the U.S., Africa, and Asia. Skin-lightening products come in many different forms, including soaps, creams, lotions, and ingestible pills. This is a massive industry: Globally, its estimated market value is $8.3 billion, and the U. S. market alone is an estimated $2.3 billion. Products contain a range of harmful chemicals, including mercury, hydroquinone, and steroids, that promise to lighten skin or reduce dark spots, but these products can have a range of negative impacts, including on a person’s reproductive and neurological health. Mercury is a toxic heavy metal that can lead to severe health problems when absorbed through the skin. We are especially worried about the impact it can have on women’s health, not only on their reproductive health but also on negative kidney effects, neurological problems, and early childhood developmental problems, given what we know about mercury’s negative developmental impacts.
MERCURY IS TOXIC AND CAN HARM YOUR HEALTH:
- It can cause kidney damage.
- It can harm your brain and nervous system.
- It can pass from the mother’s milk while breastfeeding, causing harm to the baby’s brain development.
- Pregnant women and women of childbearing age should avoid mercury exposure. Small amounts of mercury can harm unborn babies, infants, and children.
- Prenatal mercury
- Exposure can cause neurological harm in children.
HYDROQUINONE CAN HARM YOUR HEALTH:
- It can cause skin irritation
- It can cause cancer
- It can cause extreme sensitivity to sunlight
- It can cause ochronosis, a blue-black or gray-blue skin discoloration
STEROIDS CAN HARM YOUR HEALTH:
- It can cause skin damage: acne, thinning of the skin, rash, painful sores & skin infections
- It can become addictive
- It can cause hypertension
- It can cause elevated blood sugar
- It can decrease the body’s natural steroid production
The use of these products is also driven by colorism, where social and racial pressures lead to feelings of inadequacy or internalized racism. Redefine your beauty and love your skin color.
What to do?
Read the skin-lightening product labels. Do not use products that contain mercury, hydroquinone, and steroids including corticosteroids and clobetasol. No skin-lightening products are safe; do not use these products. Embrace your beauty and avoid chemical exposure from skin-lightening products
Raising Awareness on Colorism, Skin-lightening Practice, and Chemical Exposures:
These animation videos address the root causes of skin-lightening use, including colorism and other harmful cultural practices. They uplift and communicate messages of diverse beauty standards and community strength while providing specific information about health harms from chemicals. Each video is available in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Somali.
Hydroquinone Chemical Exposure from Skin-lightening Products:
Mercury Chemical Exposure from Skin-lightening Products:
Steroid Chemical Exposure from Skin-lightening Products:
