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WANT WHITE SKIN?
BY JEZZA MARIE HAGUNOY
YuP, MOD Cover Girl Cheska Garcia has skin as white as snow. And not a few Pinays are dying to have such fair complexion by using whitening products. Well, okay, you may not die-not yet-but before you buy that whitening cream, read on...
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule: All skin-bleaching products-prescriptions and over-the-counter would be considered new drugs. Manufacturers would have to seek FDA approval to sell them, and only then with a doctor’s note.
Whitening products proven to be effective do not necessarily mean they are safe and healthy. Check out the ingredients because there are certain chemicals in whitening products that have a damaging effect on your vital organs. How safe are whitening products? Dr. Eddie Concepcion, M.D., who is also an expert on traditional Chinese acupuncture, gives some answers:
MOD: How do skin whiteners really work?
DR. Eddie Concepcion: Skin whiteners suppress melanin-a substance produced under our skin that gives the skin that tan color. This brown pigment protects us from the damaging effects of the sun and explains why skin cancer is less among the colored skin.
The hotter the climate, the more melanin is produced, and the skin becomes darker. So the less exposed you are to the sun, the lighter your skin gets.
What’s dangerous about skin whiteners?
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a ban in 1990 on over-the-counter sales of skin-lightening products, stating that possible health risks cannot justify their being sold without a prescription. Moreover, a substance called hydroquinone has been found on some whitening products-a drug that is a possible carcinogen which increases the risk of skin cancer and is being related to a skin-disfiguring condition called ochronosis that causes the darkening and thickening of the skin with occasional graying spots. This substance, when applied to the skin, will react with ultraviolet rays and reoxidize which can lead to more pigmentation and premature ageing.
The FDA also declared skin bleaching drug ammoniated mercury unsafe.
How toxic is ammoniated mercury?
Many drug preparations use mercury or ammoniated mercury to keep the chemicals stable. This heavy metal is known to be toxic. Mercury slowly accrues within the cells, peeling its natural structure and inhibiting the melanin production, making the skin prone to cancer, damaging vital organs, and may lead to liver and kidney failure.
Hydroquinone thickens and greatly damages the connective tissues, making the skin rough and mottled. Both substances will initially cause skin lightening. But long term side effects should be anticipated.
So, what do you advise women who want whiter skin?
If one must insist on the use of skin whiteners, I would encourage a refocusing-more towards the care of skin tone and moisture and even control of hair growth. For this, one can resort to natural products.
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