Skin Bleaching-Patraloye Williams

IN LIFE M

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PATRALOYE WILLIAMS

S K I N B L E AC H I NG 1

SKIN BLEACHING This phenomenon of ‘skin bleaching’ has become an emerging worldwide trend for darkskinned individuals to mix various skin lightening chemicals together and apply them to their skin to have a lighter skin tone. A possible reason for this phenomenon may have arisen from the individuals being uncomfortable in their own skin.

Jamaican photographer Marlon James who undertook the project, “Blackout” in Downtown Kingston to understand skin bleaching and how people developed this concept of ‘beauty’, noted this. According to his website, Marlon James Photography, (2013), the reasons given were, the need to be accepted and the practice of following fashion.

The phenomenon of skin bleaching in Jamaica has been noted by Taye Diggs, author of children’s books ‘Chocolate Me’ and ‘Mixed Me’. While in Jamaica promoting his books about self-confidence he said, “I was just told that there is an issue with skin bleaching here and that shouldn’t be happening…I didn’t think that people still had those issues and that they were so serious and that they were trying to alter what they look like.” German photojournalist Anne Ackermann carried out her own photo documentary 2

EVOLUTION entitled White Blacks, which focused on the practice of skin bleaching among black African women in Kampala, Uganda. The project revealed that there is a beauty salon in the capital that caters to women who want to ‘caramelise’ their skin.

There are many healththreatening factors of skin bleaching that have longlasting effects, which may lead to death. Nigerian medical doctor Ayobode Williams in an interview by Al Jazeera Media Network commented on that skin bleaching can have an immediate reaction on the skin or it can be a future effect. The bleaching products can do both internal and external damages including Kidney failure, cancer, eczema, skin pigmentation disorder among other infections because of the mercury present in the chemicals.

Light Girls broadcasted on OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) featured a woman shared her experience about the physical and emotional damage she suffered from using these Amelia in Downtown, Kingston on April 25, 2016 “Mi bleach because mi love the trend. It mek mi look good.”

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Shadiyah Morris at home in Mountain View on April 12, 2016 is demonstates how she mixes her bleaching products before she applies it to her face.

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THE PROCESS Shadiyah adds the 7 Days Magic Cream to the Maxi Light.

Shadiyah combines ‘Maxi Light’ and ‘7 Days Magic’ to get her final mixture.

Shadiyah then applies the skin toning mixture to her face.

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THE PROducts A collection of Shadiyah Morris’ bleaching products.

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Shadiyah shows the results of the bleaching of her skin over a long period of time.

Shadiyah does not bleach her thighs and legs. Mountain View.

products. She stated, “I began to believe the criticism and I started to hate my complexion, so what I started doing was tanning a lot. Over the years of excessive tanning, I developed a skin damage called melasma. As a result, I now have to use expense laser treatment and bleaching creams to fade away the

dark spots. I find it ironic that now, in hindsight, trying to be accepted to change my complexion with excessive tanning that I now have to seek therapy to change the complexion of my skin.�

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Ophelia Lewis at home in Mountain View on April 12, 2016.

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Mi face ugly eeh.

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-Ophelia Lewis

Ophelia applies the Metasol Gel to her face.

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Ophelia applies the Metasol Gel to her face.

OPHELIA’S PROducts

Ophelia now rubs the products on her skin

Products Ophelia sells and uses at her home in Mountain View.

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I M P of Skin Bleaching A C T The bruises came on Ruth-ann’s skin after applying the cream constantly on the skin. “When yuh bleaching, yuh haffi bleach when it cool.”

The spots came up Ruthann’s Skin after applying the Skin. Downtown, Kingston.

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Bruises on the upper part of Amelia’s body.

Downtown, Kingston

Sala smiles while rubbing the cream on his face and neck. Mountain View.

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IN LIFE MAGAZINE Skin Bleaching Patraloye Williams University of Technology, Jamaica ©2016

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