Beauty

By Prosper Mene 

Skin bleaching, A growing public health crisis unfolding in Nigeria as the widespread use of skin-lightening products, often applied to children by their own parents, sparks alarm among medical experts and regretful mothers. In a country where lighter skin is frequently equated with beauty, success, and social privilege, the practice of “bleaching” has reached alarming levels, with devastating consequences for the youngest and most vulnerable.

Fatima, a mother of six from Kano, recently shared her harrowing experience with the BBC, detailing how her decision to use skin-lightening creams on her children—ranging in age from two to 16—left them with burns, scars, and lasting social stigma. “My sister gave birth to light-skinned children, but mine were darker,” Fatima explained. “I noticed my mother favored my sister’s kids because of their skin tone, and it hurt me. I just wanted my children to be loved too.” She purchased unregulated creams from a local supermarket and applied them diligently, unaware of the harm they would cause. Initially, her efforts seemed to work—her mother warmed to the children—but the physical toll soon became undeniable.

Fatima’s story is not an isolated case. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 77% of Nigerian women use skin-lightening products regularly, the highest rate in Africa. Experts estimate that a significant number of these women extend the practice to their children, some as young as infants, driven by cultural pressures and a belief that fair skin offers better opportunities. In Nigeria, where colonial legacies and modern media often glorify lighter complexions, the demand for these products has fueled a billion-dollar industry—one that operates with little oversight.

Dr. Isima Sobande, a Lagos-based dermatologist, recalls her shock at encountering a two-month-old infant covered in boils after his mother applied a mixture of steroid cream and shea butter to lighten his skin. “It’s distressing,” Sobande told AFP. “For many Nigerians, this is seen as a standard procedure, a gateway to beauty and success. It’s a mindset that has eaten deep into society.” She warns that the chemicals commonly found in these products—hydroquinone, steroids, mercury, and lead—can cause severe health issues, including skin cancer, kidney damage, and developmental deformities in children.

The risks are compounded by the lack of regulation. In bustling markets across cities like Kano and Lagos, vendors openly mix and sell potent concoctions, often exceeding safe chemical limits. A recent BBC investigation revealed salesmen adding excessive amounts of kojic acid—a skin-lightening agent—to creams intended for babies, with customers requesting products to make their children “glow” or “radiant.” Many of these transactions occur without prescriptions or awareness of approved dosages, despite efforts by Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to crack down on the trade.

Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, a NAFDAC director, acknowledges the challenges. “We’re raiding markets and seizing ingredients at borders, but some are transported in unlabeled containers,” he said. “Without lab testing, it’s hard to identify what’s inside.” In February 2023, NAFDAC’s director general, Moji Adeyeye, declared skin-lightening a “national health emergency,” citing links to diabetes, hypertension, and organ toxicity. Yet, enforcement struggles to keep pace with demand.

For Fatima, the consequences of her actions are a lifelong burden. Her daughters, now 14 and 16, face discrimination, with peers mistaking their darkened knuckles—a common side effect of bleaching—for signs of drug use. “They point fingers and call them addicts,” she said. The scars on her children’s skin may fade, but the emotional wounds remain. After confiding in her mother, who apologized upon learning of the dangers, Fatima is now determined to warn others. “I’ll never forgive myself if their scars don’t heal,” she said. “I want parents to know the truth.”

Health advocates are calling for stricter regulations, public education campaigns, and a cultural shift to combat colorism—the root of this crisis. Dermatologist Dr. Olufolakemi Cole-Adeife has labeled the bleaching of children’s skin “child abuse,” urging lawmakers to criminalize the practice. “Children’s skin is thinner and absorbs more,” she warned. “You don’t want to be battling these side effects in someone under six.”