fair and lovely

All’s not fair

Your Health
DR GITA MATHAI

PRIDE OR PREJUDICE? Beauty lies in a healthy, glowing skin and confident personality
Remember those TV commercials in which a dark complexioned girl found it impossible to get a suitable boy until she used a fairness cream? The ads continue, only with a slight difference: finding a groom has given way to finding a career path — as an airhostess, a sports anchor or beauty queen. The fair factor remains, as is engraved in our psyche. And it’s not just women who are being sent the unfair message; men too are told they must use fairness creams to win a girl or shine in their career.

Most people have a bias for fair skin. They consider it more attractive and subconsciously place it higher on the socio-economic scale. Newspapers are replete with matrimonial ads for “fair and beautiful” women.

Skin colour is genetically determined — it depends on the skin colour of both the parents. If one parent is dark and the other fair, the child is more likely to be dark. Dark skin contains more melanin, a pigment that gives skin its colour and protects against sunburn and skin cancer. This means dark skin is superior for adaptation and survival in the process of evolution.

People do various things to appear fair. Those who can spare only a few minutes apply a liberal coat of talcum powder before stepping out. The powder may be slightly yellow (as it may be mixed with sandalwood or turmeric), pink (calamine or some other colouring agent) or white, giving the person a ghostly, unnatural shade. Perfume and other additives in the talcum may cause allergy, itching, rash or sunlight sensitivity, leading to unsightly blotchy skin with dark and light patches.

Beauty parlours offer “skin peeling” face packs. They strip the superficial tanned and pigmented layers of the skin. Stripping does make a person appear 10 to 20 per cent fairer, but only temporarily. Once the skin grows back, the original colour returns. Stripping should not be done on a regular basis as it damages the skin. Also, it should never be done if there are pimples or cuts.

Manufacturers of fairness creams claim they do not use any harmful ingredients. As a rule, they must mention all the components on the packaging. The list, however, is often incomplete. Moreover, the percentage of each component is seldom stated. Companies hide behind the façade of it being a “trade secret”.

Most fairness creams contain sunscreen to prevent tanning. This is usually harmless. Some may have a bleaching agent, the concentration of which should not be more than 3-4 per cent. Higher concentrations may cause severe reactions with irritation, itching, blistering and severe pain.

Around 20 per cent of skin pigmentation can be reversed by applying 2 per cent hydroquinolone alone or in combination with 0.05-0.1 per cent tretinoin. Fairness creams often contain these chemicals.

What many people don’t know is that they may cause paradoxical sunlight sensitivity with sunburn if the skin is exposed to sunlight after application. Higher concentrations of these chemicals are dangerous and have been shown to cause cancer and birth defects in mice. They are banned in some countries.

If the cream contains steroids, it will cause thinness and atrophy of the skin. If used for prolonged periods, sufficient quantities can get absorbed and produce side effects like weight gain and facial hair.

“Natural herbal” products too are not 100 per cent safe. They contain refined plant extracts which may cause allergy.

Ayurvedic fairness creams contain heavy metals like mercury. These can get absorbed and accumulate in the deeper layers, causing liver and kidney damage.

The fairness industry in India is worth around Rs 1,400 crore. Advertisements often assert that people can become several shades fairer in four to six weeks. But they do not state how long the change lasts.

Any change in skin colour achieved with creams is not permanent. The superficial layers of the skin may change to a lighter shade. Actually, thousands of these cells are shed every day. It’s the deeper layers that contain the genetically determined quantities of melanin. As they grow out in three or four weeks, the dark colour returns. This means the products have to be used continuously, which may lead to side effects.

The safest products are probably the homemade ones. Make a mixture of 500 ml of coconut oil, 500 ml of sesame oil and 100 ml of olive oil. Apply a small quantity 10 minutes before a bath.

Homemade face packs can be made by mixing curd, honey and lemon juice. The lactic acid in the curd and citric acid in the lime act as mild bleaching agents, while the honey soothes the skin.

Before falling prey to an elusive dream, remember that regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet will give you a glowing skin, toned body and a confident personality. This surely is worth more than just “fair” skin.

Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in