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Skin Bleaching A Growing Concern In Jamaica

Quote:
KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Mikeisha Simpson covers her body in greasy white cream and bundles up in a track suit to avoid the fierce sun of her native Jamaica, but she's not worried about skin cancer.

The 23-year-old resident of a Kingston ghetto hopes to transform her dark complexion to a cafe-au-lait-color common among Jamaica's elite and favored by many men in her neighborhood. She believes a fairer skin could be her ticket to a better life. So she spends her meager savings on cheap black-market concoctions that promise to lighten her pigment.

Simpson and her friends ultimately shrug off public health campaigns and reggae hits blasting the reckless practice.

"I hear the people that say bleaching is bad, but I'll still do it. I won't stop 'cause I like it and I know how to do it safe," said Simpson, her young daughter bouncing on her hip.

People around the world often try to alter their skin color, using tanning salons or dyes to darken it or other chemicals to lighten it. In the gritty slums of Jamaica, doctors say the skin lightening phenomenon has reached dangerous proportions.

"I know of one woman who started to bleach her baby. She got very annoyed with me when I told her to stop immediately, and she left my office. I often wonder what became of that baby," said Neil Persadsingh, a leading Jamaican dermatologist.

Most Jamaican bleachers use over-the-counter creams, many of them knockoffs imported from West Africa. Long-term use of one of the ingredients, hydroquinone, has long been linked to a disfiguring condition called ochronosis that causes a splotchy darkening of the skin. Doctors say abuse of bleaching lotions has also left a web of stretch marks across some Jamaicans' faces.

In Japan, the European Union, and Australia, hydroquinone has been removed from over-the-counter skin products and substituted with other chemicals due to concerns about health risks. In the U.S., over-the-counter creams containing up to 2 percent hydroquinone are recognized as safe and effective by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. A proposed ban by the FDA in 2006 fizzled.

Lightening creams are not effectively regulated in Jamaica, where even roadside vendors sell tubes and plastic bags of powders and ointments from cardboard boxes stacked along sidewalks in market districts.
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"Many of the tubes are unlabeled as to their actual ingredients," said Dr. Richard Desnoes, president of the Dermatology Association of Jamaica.

Hardcore bleachers use illegal ointments smuggled into the Caribbean country that contain toxins like mercury, a metal that blocks production of melanin, which give skin its color, but can also be toxic.

Some impoverished people resort to homemade mixtures of toothpaste or curry powder, which can stain skin with a yellowish tint.

The Jamaican Ministry of Health does not have data on damage caused by skin-bleaching agents, though dermatologists and other health officials say they have been seeing more cases.

Eva Lewis-Fuller, the ministry's director of health promotion and protection, is redoubling education programs to combat bleaching in this predominantly black island of 2.8 million people, where images of fair-skinned people predominate in commercials for high-end products and in the social pages of newspapers.

"Bleaching has gotten far worse and widespread in recent years," she said. "(Bleachers) want to be accepted within their circle of society. They want to be attractive to the opposite sex. They want career opportunities. But we are saying there are side effects and risks. It can disfigure your face."

Health officials are running warnings on local radio stations, putting up posters in schools, holding talks and handing out literature about the dangers. But a similar anti-bleaching campaign in 2007 called "Don't Kill the Skin" did nothing to slow the craze.

The bleaching trend is sparking a growing public debate. Even dancehall reggae hits celebrate the practice, or condemn it.

The most public proponent of bleaching is singing star Vybz Kartel, whose own complexion has dramatically lightened in recent years. His 'Look Pon Me' contains the lines: "Di girl dem love off mi brown cute face, di girl dem love off mi bleach-out face."

Kartel, whose real name is Adijah Palmer, insists that skin bleaching is simply a personal choice like tattooing.

Christopher A.D. Charles, an assistant professor at Monroe College in New York City who has studied the psychology of bleaching, said many young Jamaicans perceive it "as a modern thing, like Botox, to fashion their own body in a unique way."

Others, however, say it raises awkward questions about identity and race.

"If we really want to control the spread of the skin-bleaching virus, we first have to admit that there's an epidemic of color prejudice in our society," said Carolyn Cooper, a professor of literary and cultural studies at the University of the West Indies, writing in The Jamaica Gleaner newspaper.

Felicia James, a 20-year-old resident of the Matthews Lane slum, said skin bleaching just makes her feel special, like she's walking around in a spotlight. She was taught to bleach by her older sister and her friends.

"It's just the fashionable thing to do. After I bleach, I'm cris," she said, using a Jamaican term for cool. "Plus, a lot of the boys are doing it now, too."

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quote:
Originally posted by Guyanese4eva:
"It's just the fashionable thing to do. After I bleach, I'm cris," she said, using a Jamaican term for cool. "Plus, a lot of the boys are doing it now, too."

Caribj , is wah madness dem Jamaicans deh pun ?
Unfortunately it is the curse of he third world. I remember the girls used Ponds and Ambi bleaching creams in GY. In india and Africa these outsell medicine
FM
quote:
Originally posted by caribj:
quote:
Originally posted by Guyanese4eva:
Caribj , is wah madness dem Jamaicans deh pun ?


same madness that Indians are on when they do teh SAME thing!!


This is distressing . Indians in India engage in skin whitening due to their misconstrued sense of identity and self as measured on a scale supposedly entrenched in a flawed but rigid caste system ..

Jamaicans on the other hand have none of that nonsensical caste system ideology . They are portrayed as a proud people . What gives with this obsession with whiter skin ?
FM
quote:
Originally posted by D2:
quote:
Originally posted by Guyanese4eva:
"It's just the fashionable thing to do. After I bleach, I'm cris," she said, using a Jamaican term for cool. "Plus, a lot of the boys are doing it now, too."

Caribj , is wah madness dem Jamaicans deh pun ?
Unfortunately it is the curse of he third world. I remember the girls used Ponds and Ambi bleaching creams in GY. In india and Africa these outsell medicine


Understandably , but now even the great Sammy Sosa is getting his skin whitened . :

http://www.examiner.com/pop-cu...th-his-new-skin-tone
FM
quote:
Originally posted by Guyanese4eva:
This is distressing . Indians in India engage in skin whitening due to their misconstrued sense of identity and self as measured on a scale supposedly entrenched in a flawed but rigid caste system ..

Jamaicans on the other hand have none of that nonsensical caste system ideology . ?


Jamaicsns come out of a COLONIAL system which gave BROWN Jamaicans priviledges denied to black Jamaicans so its rational for some poor dark girl to think that her prospects as a BROEN Jamaican will be better than as a black Jamaican.

I see no difference between the two systems except that one was established by Indians to exploit each other and the other was established by the British to divide and rule.
FM
quote:
Originally posted by BGurd_See:
You preaching to the choir, dat bai CaribJ must have done already bleach his skin to fit in with the Whites. ha ha ha


No I left that up to you. After all you are the person who boasts that their neighbors are white. And who rushes to the defense of whites every time some issue of racism comes up.
FM
quote:
Originally posted by Guyanese4eva:

This is distressing . Indians in India engage in skin whitening due to their misconstrued sense of identity and self as measured on a scale supposedly entrenched in a flawed but rigid caste system ..

Jamaicans on the other hand have none of that nonsensical caste system ideology . They are portrayed as a proud people . What gives with this obsession with whiter skin ?


What utter hypocracy.
FM
quote:
Originally posted by caribj:
quote:
Originally posted by Guyanese4eva:
This is distressing . Indians in India engage in skin whitening due to their misconstrued sense of identity and self as measured on a scale supposedly entrenched in a flawed but rigid caste system ..

Jamaicans on the other hand have none of that nonsensical caste system ideology . ?


Jamaicsns come out of a COLONIAL system which gave BROWN Jamaicans priviledges denied to black Jamaicans so its rational for some poor dark girl to think that her prospects as a BROEN Jamaican will be better than as a black Jamaican.


Ok, so since we are not living in colonial times , how would you explain the notion of wealthy blacks who bleach their skin ? Do you think it may be related to perceived standard of beauty ?

Here are some excepts taken from the story of a black promoter who offered free admission ton light skinned black women .

"Many women with lighter skin frequently are accused of believing they are better than those with darker complexions. Many women with brown or dark-brown complexions complain that they too often are not treated as well socially or professionally as those with fairer skin."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21367799/ns/us_news-life/

Wealthy skin bleachers :

Excerpts from other articles :
"Other more famous skin bleachers include Michael Jackson, and Vybz Kartel, a Jamaican singing star. Why do blacks want to look white? Especially wealthy blacks who have nothing to gain except to risk their health, and to look foolish?"

"A spokesperson for African American singing sensation Beyonce Knowles refused to comment; but that did not stop the rumors from circulating in Hollywood last week. Is Beyonce using bleaching creams and other chemical products to lighten her skin? The speculation began when the singer was spotted shopping in Hollywood last week (pictured). Her hair had been dyed blond and observers said her complexion was several shades lighter. (Beyonce actually looked Caucasian).

If the speculation is true, Ms. Knowles would join the likes of Lil Kim, Sammy Sosa, Tyra Banks and the late king of pop Michael Jackson – all of whom reportedly bleached their skins in order to achieve a lighter look. The controversy surrounding Blacks bleaching their skins has even gone international. Popular Jamaican dance hall DJ Vybz Kartel set tongues a wagging in that Caribbean nation recently when he appeared in public with what one newspaper critic labeled a “zombie-like” look after bleaching his skin. "

"There have been similar cases among Black entertainers in Britain where cosmetic surgeon Dr. Georges Roman warned recently that “many in the black community are causing themselves damage as a result of using skin-lightening products incorrectly.”

Roman added, “â€Ķ some of the most extreme cases have come from the U.S. where patients have been leaving a cosmetic cream containing hydroquinone on the skin resulting in excessive damage.” The potential damage includes developing eczema or acne and post inflammatory conditions which must be treated immediately.

"But why are some Black entertainers bleaching their skins. Is it Black self-hatred; an acceptance of a white standard of beauty or a matter of personal choice? "
FM
quote:
Originally posted by Rosita:
I remember when I first came to Canada someone (a distant relative) tried to tell me I should bleach my skin and I said no way, I like my brown skin. She bleached and dyed her hair dirty blonde. I saw her recently at a funeral after almost 20 years and she looked awful, I almost didn't recognise her. dunno


Rosita, did you tell her she looked awful? Smile
FM
quote:
Originally posted by caribj:
quote:
Originally posted by Guyanese4eva:
Caribj , is wah madness dem Jamaicans deh pun ?


same madness that Indians are on when they do teh SAME thing!!


Caribj,

Ya shame fa talk de truth. Black people wan fa look like Indian. We luv weself, we don need to bleach we skin. Su don try an change de story.

emagin yall always cussing Indians and all de time yall wan look like we. Dats why ya hate we su much. Ya can look like we. Maybe when fowl cock get teeth
FM
quote:
Originally posted by Cobra:
quote:
Originally posted by Rosita:
I remember when I first came to Canada someone (a distant relative) tried to tell me I should bleach my skin and I said no way, I like my brown skin. She bleached and dyed her hair dirty blonde. I saw her recently at a funeral after almost 20 years and she looked awful, I almost didn't recognise her. dunno


Rosita, did you tell her she looked awful? Smile


Nah I didn't want to add insult to injury.
FM

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