South African women still use dangerous skin lighteners, research finds
South African women continue to use dangerous skin lightening products‚ decades after tests confirmed that some ingredients cause chronic side-effects, a study has found. "The motivation driving the practice is often the desire to lighten one’s skin because of a perceived notion of increased privileges‚ higher social standing‚ better employment and increased marital prospects associated with lighter skin‚" according to research contained in the latest edition of the South African Journal of Science "This perception‚ coupled with influential marketing strategies from transnational cosmetic houses using iconic celebrities‚ increases the allure for women primarily‚ but also increasingly‚ men," researchers wrote The study of 600 women of African and Indian ancestry in South Africa found that 33% confirmed using various cosmetics to lighten their skin. "Unfortunately‚ the main fear is that the presence of these legally available products could potentially cloud the distinction of the con...
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