Taaru

Dear Black/Brown Sister,

When you bleach, you don't look light-skinned, you look...BLEACHED!

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 77 percent of women in Nigeria use skin-lightening products, the world's highest percentage. That compares with 59 percent in Togo, and 27 percent in Senegal. -al Jazeera

Stay unFAIR. Black skin is beautiful skin.

What's in YOUR skin cream?

Did you know...most skin lightening/bleaching creams contain:

HYDROQUINONE- causes exogenous ochronosis, which is when your skin turns a bluish and black color, cancer, damage your pigment cells, increased exposure to UV radiation, sensitivity to sunlight, increased risks of getting hyperpigmentation contact dermatitis and skin irritation, thick, leathery, and bumpy skin

MERCURY- goes to blood stream and urine; elevated mercury levels can cause discolorations, rashes, kidney damage, nervous system toxicity, headaches, memory loss, prenatal damage to fetus,

STEROIDS- meant for short-term use (usually a week), if used for an extensive period of time, steroids can skin thinning, stretch marks, and discoloration

Imported hydroquinone creams are banned in most countries due to the fact that the allowable 2% far exceeds what's in the cream. And almost always, mercury and steroids are ingredients NOT listed on the packaging.