Who knew that bleaching cream or skin whiteners could ensure a happy life?

Well, that's the message being put forth to Indian men in a new TV ad for the skin-whitening product Fair Menz. The commercial features two men, one who has a fair complexion and one who has a darker complexion. The darker-skinned man tells his friend in Hindi that his face makes him unlucky. His friend responds that the color of his face is the problem, and to the rescue comes Fair Menz, the answer to his troubles. After the guy uses the product, the commercial ends with him riding away on a motorcycle with a woman. All is solved, right?Watch the commercial here.




According to CNN, "A marketing study found sales for skin-whitening creams have jumped more than 100 percent in rural India, and sales for male-grooming products are increasing 20 percent annually."

India has long had an issue with color and race. The Indian caste system, which has racial origins, contains thousands of castes and subcastes. These castes affect social participation and occupation in Indian society. Of the caste system, Justice Markandey Katju of the supreme court of India, writes, "The caste system is one of the greatest social evils plaguing India today. It is acting as a powerful social and political divisive force at a time when it is essential for us to stay united in order to face the challenges before our nation."

The conversation, regarding skin bleaching, has not been exhausted, and as long as these ads continue, so shall the discussion. Skin-bleaching companies rake in billions per year. Sadly, a significant portion of that money comes from Africa and Asia. The late great Fela Kuti sung about what he called the "yellow fever" sweeping the African continent. Comparing skin bleaching to a sickness, Fela very bluntly said, "Your face go yellow (foolish)/Your nyash go black (foolish)/Your mustache go show (foolish)/Your skin go scatter (foolish)."



According to Nigerian blogger Sokari Ekine, cosmetic whiteners are "a one-stop solution that cuts across racial, class and lifestyle boundaries that play to both the desire for eternal youth and racial superiority."

So, why is this ideal for white skin so pervasive around the world, particularly in Africa and Asia? Well, historically and very much still today, there is a universal color caste system in which the closer you are to having white skin, the higher up you are in the system. And with your ascension to higher levels in the system comes greater privilege. The system gets tricky, though, because it extends across color and races.

Many people's desire to be lighter doesn't just affect adults. This perception of privilege and beauty is so pervasive that many children of color are also affected from a very young age. To explore how these messages affect black children, filmmaker Kira Davis, in 2005, produced the documentary "A Girl Like Me." Recreating Kenneth and Mamie Clark's famous 1940s "doll experiments," Davis presented 21 black children with 2 dolls - a black one and a white one. Davis asked the children to select which doll they would rather play with and which doll they thought was "nice" and "bad." An overwhelming number of children preferred the white doll and identified that doll as "nice," while the black doll was perceived as "bad."

Harmful Effects of Skin-Bleaching Products

Many skin-bleaching products are often cheap, but they also can contain highly toxic agents, such as hydroquinone, mercury and corticosteroids.

Hydroquinone has "been linked with the medical condition known as ochronosis, in which the skin becomes dark and thick." Animal studies have shown that hydroquinone may serve as a cancer-causing chemical, but it has yet to be proven in humans.

Mercury can cause immediate heath problems, such as nausea, vomiting and eye irritation. The long-term effects of mercury exposure can permanently damage the brain and kidneys.

Corticosteroids are absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream through the use of skin-whitening products. Prolonged use of skin-whitening products containing corticosteroids can disrupt the body's natural hormonal balance. Some effects are unusual stretch marks, skin thinning and atypical fungal infections.

The Effect of Skin Bleaching

Below are some photos of people who have used skin-whitening products:





I am aware that many people use skin bleachers to even out their skin tone, especially in the case of vitiligo, a pigmentation disorder that results in white patches on the skin. What I'm speaking about, though, is the problematic idea of using these products for the sole purpose of appealing to a certain standard of beauty. God created every person with a purpose in mind. To alter one's appearance drastically is to say that God did not do an adequate job. From the lightest child to the darkest one, we come from the womb with a purpose that supersedes societal standards of beauty. Parents teach your children that they are beautiful as they are and that self-love is so important. When we love ourselves, the sky is the limit.

What are your thoughts?