Five Downsides Of Skin Bleaching

Skin bleaching refers to the use of products to lighten dark areas of the skin or achieve an overall lighter complexion.

These products include bleaching creams, soaps, and pills, as well as professional treatments like chemical peels and laser therapy.

Skin bleaching has become a popular phenomenon in recent times.

From a medical standpoint, there’s no need to lighten the skin. But if you’re considering skin bleaching, it’s important to understand the risks. 

According to Healthline, here are 5 dangers of skin bleaching:

1.Mercury poisoning

Some skin bleaching creams made outside of the United States have been linked to mercury toxicity. Mercury has been banned as an ingredient in skin lightening products in the United States, but products made in other countries still contain mercury.

In a 2014 studyTrusted Source of 549 skin lightening creams bought online and in stores, nearly 12 percent contained mercury. About half of these products came from U.S. stores.

Signs and symptoms of mercury poisoning include: numbness, high blood pressure, fatigue, sensitivity to light, neurologic symptoms, such as tremor, memory loss, and irritability, kidney failure

2.Dermatitis

Case studies and reports have linked the use of skin bleaching products to contact dermatitis. This is inflammation of the skin caused by contact with certain substances.

Symptoms can range from mild to severe and include: skin redness, blisters, skin ulcers, hives, dry, scaly skin, swelling, itching, burning and tenderness

3.Exogenous ochronosis

Exogenous ochronosis (EO) is a skin disorder that causes blue-black pigmentation. It usually occurs as a complication of long-term use of skin bleaching creams that contain hydroquinone. People who use it on large areas of the body or on the entire body are more likely to develop EO.

4.Steroid acne

Skin bleaching creams that contain corticosteroids can cause steroid acne.

Steroid acne mostly affects the chest, but can also show up on the back, arms, and other parts of the body with long-term use of corticosteroids.

Symptoms can include: whiteheads and blackheads, small red bumps

large, painful red lumps, acne scars

5.Nephrotic syndrome:

Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder often caused by damage to the blood vessels in your kidneys responsible for filtering waste and excess water. It causes your body to excrete too much protein in your urine.

Skin lightening creams containing mercury have been associated with nephrotic syndrome.

Symptoms can include: swelling (edema) around the eyes, swollen feet and ankles

foamy urine, loss of appetite and fatigue.

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