More than a third of the country’s population are bleaching their skin , posing a threat to their health.

This is contained in a World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa Region  report which found that  39 out of 100 hundred Ghanaians are generally involved in skin bleaching and the widespread use of skin-lightening products is the cause of the rising figures in skin bleaching in the country.

The prevalence of skin bleaching in other African countries ranges from 25 per cent  of the population in Mali to 77 per cent in Nigeria, with other countries reporting intermediate rates such as 31.15 per cent in Zimbabwe; 32 per cent in South Africa; 50 per cent in Senegal and 66 per cent in Congo-Brazzaville.

This was contained in the November 2023 analytical fact sheet of the WHO African Region and the Integrated African Health Observatory (iAHO) report released in Accra.

The report  said in Ghana, data showed that 40.4 per cent of study participants in Kumasi and 50.3 per cent in Accra reported either current or past use of skin bleaching products.

What is skin bleaching?

The report described skin bleaching, also known as skin lightening, skin toning and skin whitening, as a global cosmetic practice to achieve a lighter skin tone. It is often driven by cosmetic desires rooted in deep historical, economic, socio-cultural and psychosocial factors.

It involves the use of topical products containing corticosteroids, hydroquinone, mercury, or other agents to lighten the skin. The use of potentially harmful agents such as mercury is common in Africa and Asia.

Content by: Augustina Tawiah

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