Skin Bleaching

Skin Bleaching

Skin Bleaching is when a person uses chemical substances in order to lighten their skin tones, and get an even skin complexion. This is done so by decreasing the intensity of melanin. People use it to look more attractive, but the methods that have been used have been questioned. Exfoliation, vitamins, minerals, masks, scrubs and laser treatments have been used to achieve a lighter skin tone. The methods of bleaching have been questioned because of their safety and controversial effects on certain ethnic groups (Pitché et.al, 2005, pp.39-40).

This history of skin bleaching goes back to the time of the Renaissance (1200-1600) when the women were concerned about having a pale and white skin. During those times, the wealthy white women used to pursue a porcelain skin, where it was deemed as symbol of humility and virtue in women. The porcelain complexion is not possible for any normal person to achieve, and the women around Europe used white lead powder to whiten their skins. Additionally they used creams and other natural methods to do so (Sinniah, n.d.)

In Asia, Japan was the first country to use these dangerous methods of whitening the skin were used as early as 1200. The female as well as male dancers used white lead which was an opaque make up that coated the skin. The lead was absorbed by the skin easily and it led to lead poisoning causing hair loss, paralysis and decreasing mental health. Prolonged used was behind the deaths of many women including Queen Elizabeth I. In 1634, the white lead was classified as poison (Chaudhri & Jain, 2009, pp.164).

Subsequently, the common skin whitening method was the sublimate of mercury. Women frequently used it as a peeling cream to get rid of blemishes. Another variant of mercury; mercury sulphide was used ...