A recent report has ranked Nigerian women as Africa’s top users of skin-whitening creams.
According to CNN, almost 75 percent of Nigerian women use whitening creams.
They are followed closely by their counterparts in Senegal, Mali, and Ghana. Whitening creams are cosmetics that lighten the skin by reducing the amount of melanin or pigment in the skin. However, many of these skincare products pose harmful side effects and are not recommended for use. Why do some women turn to skin whitening creams despite knowing the health risks involved?
These creams contain ingredients that work to decrease body’s production of melanin.
Melanin is responsible for the pigment in the skin made by cells called melanocytes.
But many of these creams have been found to have dangerous side effects and are unapproved for use.
