In this emotional account, a mother's quest for acceptance leads to a painful journey involving dangerous skin-whitening creams, resulting in disfigurement and societal discrimination for her children.
**The Harrowing Reality of Skin Lightening: A Mother's Regret in Northern Nigeria**
**The Harrowing Reality of Skin Lightening: A Mother's Regret in Northern Nigeria**
As the worldwide trend of skin-lightening continues, a mother in Nigeria reveals the devastating consequences of her actions on her six children.
A mother from Northern Nigeria, whose identity we've altered for her family's privacy, stands distraught with her young child in her arms, exposing burns and patchy skin on his little face and legs. The 32-year-old mother, known as Fatima, deeply regrets her past decision to apply skin-whitening products to all six of her children, driven by societal expectations and her family's pressure.
Fatima states that her two daughters, aged 16 and 14, have had to conceal their faces due to the burns that resulted from the creams. The adverse effects of the creams have left one daughter with a darkened skin tone and a light patch around her eyes, while another suffers from whitish scars on her lips and knees. Her youngest child, only two years old, bears painful wounds that are slow to heal.
The motivations for Fatima's choices stemmed from a painful sense of inadequacy. "My sister gave birth to light-skinned children, and my mother showed a clear preference for them over my darker-skinned kids," she explains. "The favoritism hurt profoundly." Though she purchased these creams over the counter in a Kano supermarket without seeking medical advice, the initial effects seemed promising as her mother began to favor her children. Unfortunately, the horrific burns and scars soon emerged, shattering that fleeting success.
Nigeria has the highest rate of skin-lightening among any African nation, with around 77% of women reportedly using these products, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The troubling trend often yields severe side effects ranging from skin-related issues to potential mercury poisoning and kidney damage due to harmful substances like corticosteroids, hydroquinone, mercury, and kojic acid commonly present in these creams.
The distressing reality is that the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) declared a state of emergency in 2023 due to the prevalence of skin-lightening products and the dangers they pose. More alarmingly, there has been an emerging trend of mothers, like Fatima, applying these harmful creams to their children in hopes of protecting them from societal stigmas surrounding skin tone. "Many equate light skin with beauty or success," says Zainab Bashir Yau, a dermatology spa owner in Abuja. She reports that approximately 80% of women she meets have either bleached their children or plan to do so.
One of the common indicators of skin-lightening use in Nigeria is the contrast in skin color between the knuckles and other parts of the body. This discrepancy often leads to misunderstandings, as those with darker knuckles might be mistaken for drug users, resulting in severe social stigma for Fatima's older daughters, who have lost potential relationships due to this misconception.
While visiting a bustling market in Kano, Fatima witnessed first-hand how self-styled "mixologists" create skin-whitening creams. The market is filled with shops where customers can request personalized creams, sometimes containing dangerous substances. Unfortunately, many consumers, including young girls, are unaware of the significant risks these products pose.
Fatima's experiences match those of countless others, with women often prioritizing their children's appearance over their well-being. Despite her own damaged hands and poor choices, one mother expressed her willingness to buy skin-lightening creams for her children, harboring a firm belief that the right product will protect them from discrimination, claiming, “Nothing will happen to my children.”
In response to this crisis, Dr. Leonard Omokpariola from NAFDAC says efforts are underway to enlighten the public about the hazards linked with skin-lightening practices. Although markets and borders are being scrutinized to curb the distribution of illegal ingredients, challenges persist due to unmarked shipments.
For Fatima, the pain of her children's disfigurations is a haunting reminder of the past, especially now as she reflects on the societal pressures that led to these irreversible consequences. She laments, "My actions will forever remain a scarred memory for my children."
Her resolve to prevent other families from making the same choice is strong, as she urges other parents to heed her distressing journey. "Learn from my experience," she admonishes, seeking to shed light on the realities and risks associated with harmful skin-whitening practices.
Fatima states that her two daughters, aged 16 and 14, have had to conceal their faces due to the burns that resulted from the creams. The adverse effects of the creams have left one daughter with a darkened skin tone and a light patch around her eyes, while another suffers from whitish scars on her lips and knees. Her youngest child, only two years old, bears painful wounds that are slow to heal.
The motivations for Fatima's choices stemmed from a painful sense of inadequacy. "My sister gave birth to light-skinned children, and my mother showed a clear preference for them over my darker-skinned kids," she explains. "The favoritism hurt profoundly." Though she purchased these creams over the counter in a Kano supermarket without seeking medical advice, the initial effects seemed promising as her mother began to favor her children. Unfortunately, the horrific burns and scars soon emerged, shattering that fleeting success.
Nigeria has the highest rate of skin-lightening among any African nation, with around 77% of women reportedly using these products, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The troubling trend often yields severe side effects ranging from skin-related issues to potential mercury poisoning and kidney damage due to harmful substances like corticosteroids, hydroquinone, mercury, and kojic acid commonly present in these creams.
The distressing reality is that the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) declared a state of emergency in 2023 due to the prevalence of skin-lightening products and the dangers they pose. More alarmingly, there has been an emerging trend of mothers, like Fatima, applying these harmful creams to their children in hopes of protecting them from societal stigmas surrounding skin tone. "Many equate light skin with beauty or success," says Zainab Bashir Yau, a dermatology spa owner in Abuja. She reports that approximately 80% of women she meets have either bleached their children or plan to do so.
One of the common indicators of skin-lightening use in Nigeria is the contrast in skin color between the knuckles and other parts of the body. This discrepancy often leads to misunderstandings, as those with darker knuckles might be mistaken for drug users, resulting in severe social stigma for Fatima's older daughters, who have lost potential relationships due to this misconception.
While visiting a bustling market in Kano, Fatima witnessed first-hand how self-styled "mixologists" create skin-whitening creams. The market is filled with shops where customers can request personalized creams, sometimes containing dangerous substances. Unfortunately, many consumers, including young girls, are unaware of the significant risks these products pose.
Fatima's experiences match those of countless others, with women often prioritizing their children's appearance over their well-being. Despite her own damaged hands and poor choices, one mother expressed her willingness to buy skin-lightening creams for her children, harboring a firm belief that the right product will protect them from discrimination, claiming, “Nothing will happen to my children.”
In response to this crisis, Dr. Leonard Omokpariola from NAFDAC says efforts are underway to enlighten the public about the hazards linked with skin-lightening practices. Although markets and borders are being scrutinized to curb the distribution of illegal ingredients, challenges persist due to unmarked shipments.
For Fatima, the pain of her children's disfigurations is a haunting reminder of the past, especially now as she reflects on the societal pressures that led to these irreversible consequences. She laments, "My actions will forever remain a scarred memory for my children."
Her resolve to prevent other families from making the same choice is strong, as she urges other parents to heed her distressing journey. "Learn from my experience," she admonishes, seeking to shed light on the realities and risks associated with harmful skin-whitening practices.
