What's Up With Whitening Cream?

I'm probably going to go off on a rant here for a while, so you may have to excuse me. I heard the term "whitening cream" earlier today, and had no idea what it was referring to. So when I got home, I asked my good friend Mr. Google, and I must say I was fairly disgusted with the results. Although there are some good reasons to use whitening cream (which I'll get to after I blow off some steam), but you know what the main demographic is being targetted with this product? African Americans and Asians. Specifically, African Americans and Asians who want to lighten their skin colour so they appear more white. Can you beleive that? How stupid can people be? Now, before anyone accuses me of racism, I feel just as strongly about white people who sit in the sun all day and fry like lobsters trying to get their skin a little darker. Can't you just be happy with the skin your in people? Do you know how much damage you are doing to your body, trying to be someone you're not?

I don't want to be pointing the finger, and I really have no idea if it is true or not, but I'm pretty sure Michael Jackson would have had a lot of influence over people who grew up during the time that he was famous (before he became infamous), and those people are now the same people who are trying to disguise themselves, just as their hero did, to be someone that they are not. You know what I find more attractive in a person than anything else? Self confidence. I think a person who is comfortable with themselves is the most beautiful thing in the world, and if you can't be at peace with who you are, then no amount of skin whitening creams, tanning hours or surgeons knives are going to fix it, you will remain bitter no matter what you do. 

I understand how rampant racism is in our community, and I get that people are being judged by the colour of their skin. But women have been victimised because of their gender since the beginning of history, and you don't see them running out and having sex changes to fix the problem, do you? Build some character and stop trying to hide who you really are people.

The Dangers Of Whitening Cream

OK, rant over. I apologise for going off on a tangent, but I have a problem with companies trying to capitalise on other peoples insecurities at the best of times, and this form of advertising just takes the cake. What's even worse is, the majority of skin whitening creams being peddles out there are so dangerous it's not funny. One particular ingredient that is commonly found in whitening creams is called Hydrquinone. Not only is this ingredient toxic, but the UK banned this ingredient for cosmetic use years ago because of it's cancer causing properties. It has also been reported that Hydroquinone can cause other debilitating effects such as skin damage, and kidney failure. Another ingredient used in whitening creams is steroids, and we all know how bad these are to our health.

That said, there are some legitimate uses for skin whitening cream, and some people may benefit from it. For example,  people with extreme cases of liver spots, freckles and unsightly acne scars could use whiteing cream to mask these conditions. Others suffer from dark skin in places like under their arms and between their upper thighs. This is usually caused by a combination of excessive sweating and friction. Even though these are good reasons to use skin whitening cream, I would still be steering clear of those highly toxic products that are still being sold on pharmacy shelves.

So, what do you do if you have a legitimate reason for wanting a whitening cream? Well, for starters, you should be doing a bit of research online. If you have a particular skin condition, the chances are that many other people suffer from the same ailment, and there will be many people out there who can help and give you advice on what products have worked for them, and what you should try and steer clear of. The best thing to do is start with something that's all natural. Some people have reported great success using products like coconut oil and vitamin E cream, so these may be a good place to start, without any risk to your own body. After all, your body is your temple, so why not start treating it like one?