Lifestyle: Ghanaian women now using cement to bleach

In their quest to change the pigment of their black colour to that of white, Ghanaian women now resort to using cement to bleach their skin.

This was revealed by Director, Chief Physician and Consultant Dermatologist of Rabito Clinic, Professor Edmund Delle, in an interview with Today.

According to him, people mix all kinds of chemicals with cement and pepsodent to whiten their skin.

He said even though the bleaching process has been known for thousands of years, chemicals currently used was as a result of work of several of 18th century scientists.

Prof. Delle noted that chlorine is the basis for the most commonly used bleaches. He stated that bleaches are household chemicals to whiten clothes and remove stains and as disinfectants, primarily in the bathroom and kitchen, which have strong bactericidal properties.

He said the most commonly used skin lightening creams include monobenzone, tranexamic acid, mequinol and peau clear creams which contain exogenous ochronosis and hydroquinone that are dangerous chemicals.

Prof. Delle also revealed that to quicken the whitening of the skin, some women swallow glutatuine pills and fairing creams that also contain lead and mercury.

He noted that the harmful effects of skin bleaching include dark grey spots, skin cancer, acne, swelling and thinning of the skin, cataract, neurological and kidney damage due to high level of mercury used in creams, severe birth defects, asthma, liver damage and psychiatric disorders.

Speaking on the theme; “Black is beautiful, keep it,” he advised women in particular, to desist from bleaching as it has adverse effects on their skin and health in general which is very expensive to repair.