Changing Skin Colour - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
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“The Good”
Whats good about enhancing/changing your skin colour? From what I have observed, I would probably get some of the responses below:
“I feel and look Beautiful”.
“People respond nicely to me”.
“I get lots of attention from the opposite sex”.
“People give me a second look”.
“I feel good within myself” etc. etc.
Alek Wek - Super Model
There is a proverb that says “One man’s meat is another man’s poison”.
The Europeans, want to have darker skin and as a result regularly lie on sun beds, have spray tans or wear fake tan
The African/Americans prefer to lighten their skin as they feel it looks better. Alek Wek is a Sudanese Super model – a natural beauty but most African/American ladies do not like this complexion. Too dark!
Korean Model (Lee Young - Ae)
Asians – Some Asians prefer to whiten their skin. Example, What is considered more beautiful in Korea are pale faces. In Japan and the Philippines, whitening salons are not uncommon. In India, 60% of skin care sales account to skin whitening. The Korean Model on the right was disfigured by Skin Whitening. Read Full story.
Its nice to look beautiful and enhance one’s beauty but sometimes it’s at a cost. So, lets see the Bad in it - below.
The Bad
Tanning
Sun Beds - Ultraviolet rays from tanning lamps actually increase the risk of melanoma of skin and eye. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun also cause skin cancer. Energy from the sun is a form of radiation, consisting of visible light and other rays that we can't see. It causes sun tan/sun burn. People who do this tend to age quicker.
Lightening the Skin
There are two chemicals found in skin lightening products, Hydroquinone, a severely toxic and very powerful chemical used in photo processing, the manufacture of rubber and is an active agent in hair dyes.
Mercury, a toxic substance that can only be purchased via pharmacies.
Skin Lightening can cause Blotchy Patches
The Ugly
I am not implying that these people are Ugly (as I believe that God didn’t create anyone ugly). I am just showing the Ugly effects of some of these products.
Its not my place to ask people not to Tan themselves or not to use skin-lightening creams. It does enhance beauty, but just do it in moderation and beware of the effects. E.g some people start using Tanning beds in their teens and do so every week into their 30s. Some African Americans’ use very strong creams and end up looking literally white overnight and men - be careful how you use them too.
These will cause the skin to lighten by stopping production of melanin whereby, no brown pigmentation will be visible. Long term effects can cause premature ageing, skin cancer and mercury poisoning.
I have lived in Africa for a few years and noticed that on using these lightening creams, the skin gets very light but because people have to go out in the very hot sun, they then get burnt and its not a good sight. There are also situations where by the face looks so light and the legs look so dark – you begin to wonder if you are looking at the same person.
If you do use these products or plan on evening out your skin tone for a short period, please check the ingredients and ensure they do not have harmful substances. Some are even banned in some African Countries. There is a very big market for these products.
Burnt through Skin Lightening
Sun Burnt
Alek Wek - A Beauty
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Comments
That was good information well presented. I don't understand the need to change skin color one way or another. Women of all shades are beautiful. I have never been one to lie in the sun too long. It always seemed to be a waste of time.
Wow,the things some do for love from the world!:(
With all the work schools do to boost self-esteem in children, you would think this issue would be decreasing. Unfortunately, it appears to be increasing. Sad.
People respond nicely to me”.
“I get lots of attention from the opposite sex”.
“People give me a second look"
Europeans wanting to be darker and African-Americans wanting to be lighter. It must be what is inside the esteem of the person that is creating the want but is the assumption nice things will happen if I change my skin color correct then?
** Hmrjmr - Your wife gave you very good advice. Thanks for your comments.
** Thanks Pete - I think its a mental or self esteem issue.
** I know Waren. Everyone wants to look good. Some ladies look beautiful but if you tell them they are, they don't believe it.
** Hi Jdove-Miller - Well the seed has been sown. It might not sink in now but as they grow older they might change their attitude.
** Psychidog - You are right. It reminds me of perfect ladies with good sized boobs (excuse me) saying if they could just have them bigger, they would feel happier within themselves. That thought just sticks.
Thanks everyone. :)
I don't understand the need to change skin color one way or another. Women of all shades are beautiful.
Nice hub. This goes to confirm God's word in Genesis when Adam was asked not to eat the forbidden fruit. Eventually he ate it, just to be like God. Lucifer was driven down from heaven just because he wanted to be like God. So many examples abound to confirm that it did not start today. People will always like to be wanted others are. The truth is that the way you are, the way you are created is just perfect and in God's image. Any attempt to deviate from it could be dangerous. Apart from the skin, ladies (especially) indulge in one act or the other just to look better in their imagination. This including taking pills to reduce/enlarge their body size, breasts size, hip size, etc.
Thanks June. I like the way you put it "women of all shades are beautiful". Nice to hear from you. :)
True Philipo - everyone should just be happy the way they are other wise they will have health problems and then wish they had never changed their bodies. Nice to read from you too. :)
Such a pity we keep hankering for something that nature did not intend for us to have. Nature intended for us to variously hued, and beautiful! This obsession exists in ridiculous proportions in India as well (http://hubpages.com/hub/Fair-is-Equal-to-Lovely )
I think the intention of changing skin color comes by observing different ethnic people.If all the people were white, then no whites would think of getting dark skin.
Hi Reena. Lol, it seems me and you think alike. This is another topic I've written about that you have also touched on.
Thanks for you comments. :)
Hi Andromida. You hit the nail on the head, if we were all one colour, no one would think differently. Regards, E.
Excellent advice and I believe if one has good self-esteem then their skin color would not matter. We have an old saying too, “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”
“Be yourself; everyone else is taken.” Oscar Wilde
Some people long for the things they dont have, can't appreciate how lovely God fashioned them.Great hub!
SHINE!
will choose to have a facial spa without the whitening product.
** Cheers Nancy, Maybe "Self Esteem" should be included in school curriculums...:)
** I agree Ladyeagle - "We are fearfully and wonderfully made". :)
** Cheers Bingskee, Facial spa's are good. Exfoliating scrubs also make skin look clear and soft - like the skin of a baby. :)
This is important because people have a tendency to want what they don't have - many years ago I baked in the sun and went to tanning salons to get dark. Being fair skinned, I was warned about the dangers of skin cancer (my brother developed lots of small skin cancers over the years from living in Hawaii!). I quit and accepted my pale shade! Now, I have less skin damage than many people I know who refused to give up tanning! We have to realize we are beautiful with what nature gave us!
Hi Kartika
You are right. We should be content with who we are. I hope your brother is okay now. Its lovely to read from you. Thanks. E
I remember seeing Geisha makeup - stark white. Beautiful but odd.
I was as white as snow as a child, not going out of doors much. As ana dult, when I began exercising with a group out of doors ...I started freckling and this is still odd to me.
I never knew African/Americans & Asians lightened their skin (except for Geishas), that's really interesting. See, I'm a very pale skinned person naturally and everyone tries to pressure me into fake-tanning, but I don't want to and so never have because everyone's skin is unique and beautiful in its own way! You're absolutely right: one man's meat is another man's poison. Wise words.
Thanks for your comments Patty. :)
Thanks Daniella - I like what you wrote "everyone's skin is unique and beautiful". :)
Hmrjmr1 says:
2 months ago
Good Hub Good Advice, my wife taught me your skins is the largest organ of your body, you have to take care of it. Great Job!