I have no judgement against women who choose to bleach their skin, because I know the pressure society places on women and the ‘premium’ fairer skin has over dark, especially in Nigeria.
That being said, Skin Bleaching is at epidemic proportions and with the Nigerian climate, specifically the intensity of the Sun, one thing is certain, Skin Cancer is going to be on the rise.
You may wonder how I know this, well research shows that over-exposure to UV rays is the primary cause of skin cancer. Statistics show skin cancer occurs in Caucasians 33 times more than in blacks; however blacks have a lower survival rate. Two types of skin cancer are caused by exposure to the sun, Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Both can present with changes in the skin which may be raised reddish patches, strange bumps, or growths.
Skin Bleaching removes the natural protection Melanin provides, combined with the Nigerian climate with its constant and intense sunlight, skin cancer becomes much more likely.
To illustrate this, the picture above shows the relationship of skin colour to location, and you can see Nigeria is smack dab in the middle of the region with the darkest skin colour for a reason..
The reason for the skin colour and the location is explained in this picture which shows the intensity of sunlight and location. The darkest skin colour pretty much matches the locations with the most intense sunlight.
Obviously I would recommend that everyone loves the skin they are in and stop lightening their skin. However since I know it is unlikely here are:
5 Things You Can Do To Protect Your Skin And Reduce Likelihood of Skin Cancer.
- Sunscreen: wearing sunscreen is one of the most important things you can do to protect your skin. You need to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30. ‘Broad Spectrum’ means it protects you from UVA and UVB rays. Wear it all day every day without fail, even on days when its overcast or raining because UV rays penetrate cloud cover.
- Time your outings: The sun (UV rays ) is usually at its most intense between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm. So as much as possible try to be indoors or at least out of the sun between those hours. It will spare your skin from the most intense UV rays.
- Cover up as much as possible: I mean exactly that , when you are out an about in the sun cover up as much as your body as possible by wearing sleeved clothing, hats and seek the shade whenever possible. One of the common areas cancer appears is on the bridge of the nose or the cheek. Basically all the places you would highlight because the sun hits them constantly, so wear a hat.
- Check the UV Index: The UV Index is used to measure the strength of sunburn producing radiation at a specific time and place. So get friendly with your weather app and check the UV index prior to going out. A UV index of between 3- 7 is moderately high so make sure you are diligent with your sunscreen , above 7 is high so decide what you want to do based on the information you have .
- Self-examination: Know every inch of your skin so that you are able to notice any changes in appearance. Skin cancer can present in many ways be vigilant and look for new moles, changes in the size or shape of your moles. If there are any changes or go straight to a hospital and see a dermatologist for a second opinion.
Please remember none of these are fool-proof, because the act of skin bleaching itself is cancer-inducive.
Let me know what you think in the comments below and tag a friend or friends who need to know this.
