The Epidemic of Skin Bleaching.
I love meeting people, especially while traveling. There’s nothing more fascinating than getting a diverse group together to share their perspectives on major issues. The conversations we have are so eye-opening, and to know that we share a lot of the same problems proves that we have more in common than we think.
Today, I am going to focus on a common problem we as a race are all battling.
What is the issue?
After chatting with my new travel family, we got to talking about the whitening epidemic that seems to be overtaking the world. All of us had noticed Asia’s obsession with fair skin. Southeast Asia offers tons of different skin care products, but most of them are said to help you achieve a fairer complexion. After sharing our stories of complexion, we came to the conclusion this was more that just an issue in Asia. Yes, the trend of people bleaching their skin to achieve a lighter complexation is a global issue. It surprised me that it wasn’t just Asia but also India, America, South Korea, Africa, Europe, Japan, China, and Latin America.
People all over the world are bleaching their skin without being educated on the health risks — especially people of color. Did you know that one of the main ingredients in skin bleaching happens to be mercury? Many people who begin to bleach their skin often get mercury poisoning. Not only are these products exposing you to harmful ingredients, but skin lightening also has major side effects that are often not spoken about such as acne, skin thinning, skin cancer, and other diseases. Interfering with the condition of our skin can lead to scars, dark spots, sensitivity, and itchy rashes that don’t seem to go away. Skin lightening can cause physical damage, but we should be more concerned on how it’s affecting our society.
As much as we’d like to blame major brands for this epidemic, we forget that we have to take responsibly as well. Does your family often compare the color of your skin to your relatives or even siblings? Well, in my family we do! My relatives and I constantly comparing skin tones, especially when a new child is born. We’d categorize each other as being light-skinned or dark-skinned, which seems harmless— but its not! We so often forget that the idea of colorism actually exists in our own home. Lets dive a little deeper!
Why does this issue exist?
While researching this whitening epidemic, it was clear that a lot of countries associate darker skin with “lower class.” Having darker skin over the years implies you most likely have a job consisting of outdoor labor. Having fairer skin meant you normally worked in an office and had a higher paying salary. This is a big reason why fairer skin is associated to a higher class. Let’s go even further back.
In the Victorian era Queen Elizabeth I, started painting her face with white foundation to achieve a ghostly complexion. This fair-skin image sparked a new beauty standard and the concept of “whiter skin = higher class” was born. Whiteness became a symbolism of purity during the time.
Fast forward to 2019, skin lightening products are still popular in many 3rd world countries because of that same notion that lighter skin is more beautiful.
Why this needs to change?
This epidemic is the outcome of old beauty standards, and we are far too invested. In our history, beauty has only been defined by being light, and *cough* *cough* skinny. Even today, fairer skin still reads as a symbol of class and wealth.
It is not fair that kids of color often believe that they have to be a lighter skin tone in order to be considered desirable by society. Colorism is discrimination and is prejudice against individuals with a darker skin tone. It’s being spread within our own communities, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group. Skin color bias has a major impact on self esteem and is pushing society to bleach their skin.
We so often blame the individuals who partake in skin lightening, when we really need to be questioning the companies who are making these products. Beauty companies spend more money advertising their fair-skin beauty ads to minorities for profit. These companies know the health risks associated with skin bleaching, yet these products are still being produced! This type of marketing is poisoning perceptions all over the world — especially our kids.
Beauty comes in all shades, shapes, and sizes, and it is so important to love the skin you are in. The beauty of self love lies in valuing yourself as you are.
Our differences is what makes this world such a beautiful place.
What I have learned.
Before writing this, I did a lot of research, and here’s how it all comes together.
There’s a huge lack of representation in the Asian market, and it really hit me while visiting the Philippines. In Siargao, Philippines I met a young Filipino girl who reminded me of myself. Her hair was curly and I made sure to mention how much I loved it. The little girl replied by calling her hair ugly and nappy. I reassured her that her hair was beautiful and that she should embrace it. This simple conversation reminded me of the challenges I faced as a little mixed boy in Missouri. It was clear to me that this little girl with a beautiful afro had not seen someone who looked like her in the main steam media, and that is exactly what is going on with this skin lightening epidemic. People of color are not seeing themselves represented in beauty ads which paints an imagine of not being worthy.
I’ve also learned the importance of diversity. All types of people need to be represented, and I truly believe inclusivity is what the world really needs right now! Displaying only one type of beauty is misleading, confusing, and major reason why kids start to have low self-esteem. We shouldn’t only see one type of beauty displayed in a store or beauty magazines.
What you can do!
We all know the skin whitening epidemic is a national problem, so we need to stop buying products from companies who sell them. If a brand doesn’t seem inclusive and represents all skin tones, stop buying their products. We know the problem, we expect change, but we continue to buy products from companies who sell them! Don’t be that person anymore. Do your research and stop supporting people who don’t support you.
If you have ever found yourself saying, “ I’m not attracted to darker women or men,” then you are apart of the problem. Do you know how many times I have heard, “you are cute for a mixed guy?” You are generalizing an entire group of people, and thats not fair. Open your mind to what you consider beautiful. The change starts with you.
Now, to all those beauty brands who sell harmful products… I will no longer be someone you can make money off. If your brand sells any type of skin lightening product then I am officially boycotting you. I will no longer support brands who do not support me or my community.
Please comment below and share your stories of colorism or if you have a different outlook on how beauty is represented in your country. I look forward to hearing your story.
Cheers, Mikey
I guess I should get into the budgeting part… it’s probably the main reason why you clicked. So after traveling in the Philippines for 28 days, in Singapore for 5 days, and Malaysia 60 days in Malaysia, I’ve come to the conclusion that Southeast Asia is fu*king CHEAP compared to the USA.