In northern Nigeria, a 32-year-old mother, Fatima (name changed to protect her identity), sits distressed, holding her two-year-old child. His face and legs bear burns and discolored patches – the aftermath of using skin-lightening creams. Fatima used the creams on all six of her children under pressure from her family, a decision she now deeply regrets.
One of her daughters covers her face in public to hide her burns, while another now has skin darker than before, except for a pale circle around her eyes. A third child suffers from white scars on her lips and knees, and Fatima’s toddler continues to struggle with slow-healing, weeping wounds.
“My sister’s children are light-skinned, while mine are darker. I noticed that my mother favored my sister’s children because of their skin tone, and it hurt me deeply,” Fatima explains.
She says she purchased the skin-lightening creams from a local supermarket in Kano without a doctor’s prescription. Initially, the creams seemed effective, and her mother’s attitude toward her children improved. But soon, burns and scars appeared on the children’s skin, causing lasting damage.
Growing Trend of Skin-Lightening in Nigeria
Skin-lightening, or bleaching, is a widespread practice across Nigeria, rooted in cultural perceptions that associate lighter skin with beauty and privilege. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 77% of Nigerian women use skin-whitening products, the highest percentage in Africa. Usage rates are also significant in Congo-Brazzaville (66%), Senegal (50%), and Ghana (39%).
Many of these products contain potentially harmful ingredients, including corticosteroids, hydroquinone, mercury, and kojic acid – substances regulated or banned in several countries. These chemicals can cause severe side effects such as skin discoloration, dermatitis, inflammatory disorders, mercury poisoning, and kidney damage. Over time, the skin may become thinner, making wounds more prone to infection and slow to heal.
The problem has become so serious that Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) declared a state of emergency in 2023 to address the growing risks.
Bleaching Children: A Dangerous Practice
In some cases, women are now bleaching their children’s skin, often starting from infancy. Zainab Bashir Yau, a dermatologist and owner of a spa in Abuja, notes that many mothers use skin-lightening creams to protect their children from discrimination.
“A lot of people link light skin to beauty or wealth,” she explains. “Women try to shield their children from bias by bleaching them early.”
Yau estimates that 80% of the women she encounters have already bleached their children or plan to do so, often because they themselves were exposed to skin-lightening products as babies.
Stigma and Discrimination
One visible side effect of skin bleaching is the darkening of knuckles, which may not lighten even when the rest of the skin does. This can lead to social stigma, with some mistakenly associating dark knuckles with smoking or drug use.
Fatima says this stigma has affected her teenage daughters, aged 16 and 14. “People point fingers at them and call them drug addicts. It has hurt them deeply,” she says. Both girls lost potential suitors, as men were reluctant to be associated with women suspected of substance abuse.
A Lucrative Market
At a popular market in Kano, vendors known as “mixologists” blend skin-whitening creams on demand. Customers can either buy pre-mixed creams or choose raw ingredients and have a cream tailored to their preferences.
Many of the creams contain regulated substances, including kojic acid, hydroquinone, and glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that may cause skin irritation. Despite their dangers, these creams are sometimes marketed specifically for babies.
One woman, whose hands were visibly discolored from long-term bleaching, insisted on buying a cream containing kojic acid for her children, dismissing concerns about safety. “I believe my hands look this way because I used the wrong product. Nothing will happen to my children,” she said.
Another vendor admitted to using excessive amounts of kojic acid – well beyond the approved 1% limit set by NAFDAC – to satisfy customers seeking dramatic lightening results. Some vendors also administer illegal skin-lightening injections to women.
Government Efforts and Challenges
Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, a director at NAFDAC, says the agency is working to raise public awareness about the risks of skin-bleaching products. Authorities are conducting raids on markets, seizing illegal ingredients, and increasing border checks to prevent banned substances from entering the country.
However, enforcement is difficult, as many ingredients are transported in unlabelled containers. “Without lab tests, it’s often impossible to know what’s inside,” Omokpariola explains.
A Mother’s Lasting Regret
Fatima says she lives with constant guilt over the damage she caused to her children’s skin. “When I told my mother what I had done and explained the dangers of the creams, she felt terrible and apologized for her behavior,” Fatima says.
Determined to prevent others from making the same mistake, Fatima now speaks out about her experience. “Even though I’ve stopped using the creams, the side effects remain. I beg other parents to learn from my story.”
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