(Photo: gettyimages)
Onslaught of advertisements in the media describing how women look beautiful by the white population increasingly endanger Jamaica. They are even willing to use bleach dangerous for this purpose.
Mikeisha Simpson covered her body with greasy white cream and wrapped in clothing to avoid sunburn in Jamaica. However, he himself admitted to not worry about the dangers of skin cancer.
Female 23 years old from Kingston ghetto had hoped to change his dark skin-color that is common among residents of Jamaica, and preferred by many men in his neighborhood. He believed, for a brighter skin could be a "ticket" to a better life.
As a result, he spent the savings to buy lower-priced whitening product on the market that promise to reduce the levels of pigment. In fact, he and many other Jamaican women getting stuck into a misleading practice.
"I heard from people that bleach is bad, but I'm still going to do it. I'm not going to stop, because I like it and I know how to do it safely, "said Mikeisha, as reported by Yahoo from the AP on Tuesday (12/04/2011).
Many people around the world trying to change the color of their skin; use in tanning salons, dyes to darken, or other chemicals to reduce levels of pigment. In slums like Jamaica, doctors say skin bleaching phenomenon has reached dangerous levels.
"I know of a woman who began to whiten their babies. He was very upset when I told her to immediately stop it. He then left my office. I'm confused what he wanted to do on the baby, "said Neil Persadsingh, a leading dermatologist based in Jamaica.
Most of the Jamaican population using bleaching creams to excess, which is imported from West Africa. Long-term use of one material, such as hydroquinone, has long been associated with the condition ochronosis, which causes the skin to become dark. The doctor said the misuse of whitening lotions also leave stretch marks across the face on the part of the population of Jamaica.
Hydroquinone has been banned in other countries
In Japan, the European Union, and Australia, hydroquinone has been removed from leather products and replaced with other chemicals that are safer than the health risk. In the U.S., a cream containing hydroquinone 2 percent is still considered safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Unfortunately, the rules of cream bleach in Jamaica are not effective, even roadside vendors can peddle bottled bleach tube, powder, and ointment freely.
"A lot of tubes that are not labeled and not putting the content in it," said Dr. Richard Desnoes, President of the Dermatology Association of Jamaica.
Harsh bleach illegal even to use materials that contain toxic metals such as mercury-block production of skin melanin. Others mix it with homemade toothpaste or curry powder, which can be a yellowish skin color.
Jamaica Ministry of Health has no data about the damage caused by bleach the skin, although skin doctors and other health officials say they see more and more cases related to abuse.
Various reasons underlie
Eva Lewis-Fuller, Director of the Department of Health Promotion and Protection of Jamaica, double the education program to combat the laundering of the island is dominated by black people to 2.8 million people. In fact, the image of white people dominate the upscale advertising products and meet most of the pages of newspapers.
"Bleaching become much worse and widespread in recent years. They hope that whiten skin acceptable in society circles. They want to attract more of the opposite sex. They wanted a broader career opportunities. But, we've been told that there were side effects and risks, that just makes your face becomes ugly, "he explained.
Christopher AD Charles, assistant professor of Monroe College in New York City has studied the psychology of people who whiten skin.
"Most of them consider whitening the skin is a modern, such as Botox, to improve their bodies in unique ways," he said.
Another cultural opinion alarming loss of racial identity.
"If we really want to control the spread of the 'virus' skin whitening, we first have to admit that there is a false image about the color of the epidemic in our society," said Carolyn Cooper, a professor of literature and cultural studies at the University of the West Indies.
