THE Public Health Partnership Forum (PHPF) has called on Government to ban the sale of skin-bleaching creams in the country, arguing that indiscriminate use is harmful to the body.
PHPF publicity secretary Enock Kaputula said in a statement Monday that the indiscriminate use of the creams can cause many health problems such as skin cancer, pigmentation disorders, speech and hearing impairment and kidney problems.
Mr Kaputula said Zambia has become a dumping ground for such products.
“The number of women in Zambia using skin dermatological creams containing high-dose steroids, hydroquinone and mercury to bleach their skins has reached alarming levels,” he said.
Mr Kaputula said it is regrettable that the creams are sold in many places including supermarkets, beauty and hair salons and drug stores.
He said some hair salons have even resorted to applying creams containing steroids on the scalps of their clients to stop skin inflammation and to enable hair to grow fast.
Mr Kaputula said skin bleaching is caused by genetic and socio-economic factors and that its root cause is the need by users to overcome perceived suffering from social norms.
Mr Kaputula said because of that, the practice can be considered a disease in the general definition of health.
He said skin-bleaching, being a psycho-socio and health problem, needs to be addressed with interventions aimed at changing the users’ perceptions of themselves and educating people on its consequences.-
[Zambia Daily mail]
BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL! What’s wrong with you black women?
Please stop skin-bleaching. You are only brown on you face but the rest of your body is Black. What are you trying to achieve.
People who usually use such creams are of lower class. And, men who are intelligent and classy don’t look at a woman’s complection. They are more interested in a woman’s character. I’ve always liked dark women.
Someone should show this article to FTJ
use home remedies to look good and beautiful like LEMONS, COCUMBERS, ORANGE SKINS, LIME’ CORIANDER AND MINT LEAVES, TURMERIC POWEDER, MILK, HONEY, THE LEAST IS ENDLESS AND ALL THIS HAVE NO SIDE EFFECTS. CONTACT ME ON HOW TO USE.
hello dear. i came across this page to look for a solution to my very sensitive skin. the last thing on my mind was lightening creams. i hate them. i have an appoitment with my dermatologis next monday. could you please provide me with more informations on how to use all of those natural skin treats? my email address is [email protected]
Pliz help me how to use those staff on my body
if you women dont accept yourslves the way God has made you it is one way of saying you dont appreciate God for you to be black,dont blame God.you s’ld learn to accept your skine colour.half mwenye half mufilika!!!!!!!:”>
This is good news the nonsense should be stopped or these woman will soon look like zombies. Aaaaa some of them already look like zombies. Its seems they lack self esteem and are not happy of their identity.
# 5 how do you use Turmeric Poweder??
I saw one lady. Last year she was black, then went brown, then orange, then Yellow then finally Pink.
AAaah very confusing. No wonder in the olden days tladies used to wear big nickers then the nickers/pants became a bit smaller and now they are wearing strings. Maybe it’s global warming.
=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))=))
Zed @ #3, in other words you are telling us that you are not intelligent right? 😕
Ban them we are seeing to many macolourdes with black fingers.
IT’S A PITTY BLACK WOMEN, ESPECIALLY AFRICANS HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES. THEY ALWAY WANT TO LOOK LIKE WHITE WOMEN. I CAN’T REMEMBER WHEN I SAW A BLACK AFRICAN WOMAN’S HEAD WITH HER NATURAL HAIR. ALL I SEE IS DEAD WHITE WOMENS’ LONG HAIR.
Are there skin darkening creams? I would like to become dark too…..:-??
just look around the site even LT has an advert of a skin lightener product.:d
No.14 LOL I wonder if LT even considered the irony of publishing this story next to a bleaching advert. Its concerning – I went into a chemist the other day looking for face powder and all I could find was these pale white powders. I asked the sales lady why they didn’t have darker shades and she told me its because they don’t sell fast as she and I were the only dark people left in Lusaka. Its a terrible inferiority complex!
Number 14 , very funny!! Someone please ban these creams , I’ve seen too many woment hoping to change colours like chameleons ending up looking like geckos
that is true and thhat idea is welcome. ju
st ban the sale before our women find theselves in problems
Hey its not only women that use these things.However, the even stronger argument is that when the mercury in the lightening creams and soaps destroys their liver they are likely to pass such defects to the rest of society. Jaribu is especially known for doing so.
#18, You are right, it’s not only women that use these bleaches, many men use them including Chiluba.
“anigeR & areV” and the other Vi nyau’s think that bleaching an ugly face would make them look more attractive when the fingers, feet and fimo fimo resemble those of macacas or gorilla’s… Hydroquinone (C6H602) is highly toxic and is used in photo processing and an active agent in hair dyes! just look at old fanta coca cola faces in top offices, its pathetic!!:o
Yes ban all other sources of evil, ban beers, ban polygamy, ban adultery, ban women doing the cooking alone in homes, ban wife grabbing, ban marrying women fit to be grandchildren, haha the list is long. Look those women who use skin lightening creams know why they are doing that. In addition it is their own business. If they get ill well it is themselves to blame and no one else. Beer drinking causes lever problems that lead to deaths, smoking causes cancer that leads to deaths. Why hasn’t the Govt banned all this crap? I know many Zambian women here in Denmark who have been using skin lightening cream and the end results are there for all to see, however it is no one’s business what others are using. Just let them be and one day they will find out when they start turning black again.
I for one do not really care about an ***** who is using cream lightening creams. I mean why should I o->
Blacks’ disastrous struggle to be white. Reminds me of that scream of the ’80s Africas May Be Interested (AMBI).
Congolese men are the culprits on using these creams. But with our Zambian ladies who use these creams I do not know what they look for because even lighter women use them so that they are extra lighter.
even the pipo you are asking to impose the ban are also bleaching their skins.its horibo. i saw one girl in one of these shops wth a yellow face,all made up, i gt so embarrassed when i looked at the fingers that were punching on the till. ugly patched things!!!they even make you realise jst hw mch bleach shz used!!!!even men are bleaching awe mwee!!
Growing up, i use to think a couple of Zed women nurses where from South africa becuz their skin tone was fair, little did I know that the nurses i thought where naturally fair skin toned South africans where local Zedian nurses who use to steal skin medication creams like betnovate with side effects of bleaching skin to use as “beauty products” when the hospitals run out of medication which was either stolen and sold out as bleaching cream one woman i met years later tried to hide from me becuz her skin color had changed to charcoal black, from that of a fake light brown one8-|
This call from PHPF needs to be given attention by the current government. Most of these products are are on the shelves without any regulatory permission. The health of many Zambians is in danger because leaders are not interested in health matters. The same way they have neglected the rest of the health system. Self esteem comes from an individual working hard to improve their position in society and the quality of life. It does not come from short term goals such as having a light complexion or a shapely body. These goals are short sighted as will soon fade out. This obsession with looking fair is a Zambian phenomena.
For young people reading this article, your way out is EDUCATION and looking after your HEALTH. Forget about attracting rich husbands or other get-rich-quick schemes.
Sad news on Wako says,the skin scream was not listed as a factor for Michael Jackson’s death nor was it detected in toxicology report. 😕 That’s the bad effect of these skin bleaching creams. I recall one comedian telling Defao that…Kwaliba umwaume ukwebati washa deprozo wasanga na senda :d:d
Tell this to Zambia’s Hoochie mamas who depend on bleached skin and fake hair for confidence. We are a long way from freedom of the mind.
diproson shud be banned,we dont nid FBI’S(former black individuals)true that Mr Kaputula(underwear)
Fuuny thing happened: One I saw a lady putting her hand in her handbag, then one kaponya shouted at the lady that someone was stealing from her, startled she pulled her hand from the handbag to look around, they the Kanponya said, sorry mami, thot some one was putting his hand in your bag! Edem calls them “FBI”, Formerly Black Individuals! But seriously, pipo are tempted to bleach their faces because of the message they receive when growing up. Yours truly is of a darker persuasion and growing up was derided by friends and grown up, “Kufipa” become a second name. Thank God I grew to appreciate who I was, and today I have to think twice about my complexion.
#31 I was called “Tomato” when i was growing up becouse am very light in complexion. It did bother me but now I appreciate and love it. So maybe Dark in complexion people should also embrace their God given complexion becouse even some light skinned people wish they were dark skinned. Maybe thats why am so attracted to Dark skinned people. Different colour complexion is what makes us unique and supplies humanity with CHOICES **==
Please ban the products – am tired of seeing orange, ashy, burnt faces – its like you are in the Twilight. I remember growing up the only people using these creams and soaps where bar maids and sex for hire technicians.
Nabazungu bonse manje batuseka=)) Colonialists,slave traders, whatever you prefer to call them, really managed to infuse that mental desease right into a black man’s bone marrow………and what we are seeing now isn’t nothing but what they have archieved so far. And they have, unless we prove them otherwise. l-) I rest my case.
Let them bleach…one day this skin will rot in the grave whether super black or super fair. Ba #13, yes, there are skin darkening products for your bamuzungus. Skin tanning products is multi million dollar business…$-)$-). Fyapachalo.
Chief Bootlica, and other carders do not contribute on such topics unless politics ok
Can not even understand who or which men or people tell them that it makes someone look beautiful with ukusuba AMBI. We like it black and then we love it when mumatata namukachika naturely. So, black is beautiful
how interesting, at the top of the article is an advert for a skin lightner product meladerm.
I like the comments on this thread. I’m glad a lot of bloggers see things naturally, ust as I do. I have never understood why a black person should resort to bleaching their God-given natural sun tan when white people spend millions every year to get a few shades of darkness!
#35 i agree with you, its like the majority of bloggers dont realise that skin lightening started with the same muzungus, then came tunning creams and now they even have machines to tun the skin, the indians do it, european/ americans, latinos do it. I strongly agree that the sale of these creams be stopped due to the after effects but one needs to realise its not just the black woman,All races are doing it.
The solution is proper education on kin pigmentation side effects and policy institution on the sale of skin lightening creams. I am sure the law is there however, as it is, the excuse that comes up is that we don’t have manpower to enforce it. Those that have used the creams in the past and ar regretful for doing it must go to schools and educate the young ones on the dangers of using such creams.
please let people be happy for what can make them happy, creams and what ever you are not paying for there creams mind your own business and why saying black women and for getting that even whites wants to be like us.:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@
Those who are saying leave them to bleach their skins are being ignorant. The fact is that it might affect you or your family if not now later. The skin lighteners are usually toxic and cause harm to the reproductive system, brain or liver. If one of your kids marries a user of these bleaches the offspring will suffer from brain neuron degeneration. Other risks on the user and offspring include gingivitis, tremors psychological changes and spontaneous abortions. Since you men love these FBIs you are bound to leave behind offspring that are deformed because you slept with a mercury infested woman and the other way round.
#42 Fridah – ignorant comment. Ngaulusuba mekako mummy, just quit now before it’s two late.
You keep referring to caucasians tanning to be darker. Newsflash, – the tanning creams dont have harmful ingredients like mercury as in skin lightening creams.
44# You don!t know me and don!t you ever comment rabbish and don!t be ignorat yourself and mind your Business[-x[-x[-x[-x[-x[-x[-x[-x[-x
Thank you #44 as for #42 I bet you use mekako
I guess #45 ala suba jalibu na mekako, just stop using that Fridah- ukatapa ukubuka kwati lisabi- mwabamo-
# 44 you are very right -lo
Mwanjipaya mwebaleka pali mekako!! on a serious note it looks like ba Frida #45 balasuba.
Its not too late for you we hope. Just start using natural moisturizers you may be able to strengthen your epidermis again. Otherwise you will be looking like Vera Chiluba! or like a namakwenkwe!!! lol
48#what do mean namakwekwe? do think people who use creams are bitches mind your words,respect and who told you that l use creams(bleaching) ^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^
48 # sorry l forgort to put( you) have a nice evening.
alot of people use these things out of ignorance and desperation for beauty, just this week i saw a documentary on the effects of anti wrinkle creams on the market, makeup foundations, please allow your skin to breath fresh air and cut down on chemicals, you will look much younger as the anti aging cream makes you look much older and lives your skin very thin, especially if you are in a hot country, the effects are seen much more earlier. i remember my mother used to scare me of the “we came to stay” if you have seen women who look like they are just healing from boxing bruises then you know what im talking about. thats what these creams can do to a beautiful smooth black face.. careful.
Awee Ba Fridah #50, do not be upset, just stop using mekako na Jalibu you look just beautiful.
52# Anyway ba Musukuma thank you ,but l do not use mekako or jaribu, l only use a very good cream which is sweetable for my skin and am happy for my skin.:)>-:)>-:)>-:)>-:)>-:)>-
# 53 fridah! ati sweetable, ichisungu ichi:o
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE. we love our Zambian Women- you are our mothers -Thanks
Happy Easter to everybody and to you 54# thanks you are perfect, PEACE :
=))kwena ilayshi ili lyawama sana, thanks for the laughs imwe! In other words it’s camouflage, war paint or whatever you may call it. I for one am appalled at the way ba ambi came back. There was a time people sang “Say it loud, ta-na-na-na, am black and proud!” and meant it! We have gone back to those old days of fanta-coca-cola, sad.
Use Nur76 as advertised above right side…. naturally brightens.It’s UK’s number one skin lightening cream..It works wonders.
It is so funny to have a bleached face which as it has been indicated above first turns into red and finally yellow like a gecko. Women who do such look very disgusting to say the least. There is no way one can think they have become beautiful with different body colors and marks all over the place- yellow face, dark neck, burn fingers and dark buttocks.
I would rather go for a woman with stretch marks than one with a bleached face…..very disgusting. They should start arresting them now.
Lol…very funny indeed!
# 59 you have made my day arresting them Aaaaa!!
The best to do is to educate those women/men dangers of using these products. Its seems some of them have no idea what the products are capable of doing to their health.
Uko visasila vikwati
Ladies try Vasaline. It works wonders & its multi-purpose:d
Mwandi, just bleach if you want. It’s your skin. Free will rocks. Next they will go to banning having more than one round a night…and twamu porrage will follow…;))
i like it when women take confidence and pride in their natural looks…in most cases those who use skin bleaching creams its because of inferiority complex. wise up african people, black is original and beautiful!
@7 enough for your face, gram flour, teaspoon milk cream, turmeric half teaspoom, make past of this apply on your face rinse after 1hour morining and evening. other way turmeric, honey, olive oil, milk cream, salt method as above but rinse after 30 minutes. try it works well
Guys I hear urine does wonders too:-??
it is best to use purely natural products such as the research going on in america about effects of jenkem on skin. and be aware of some of these market products, they may work infact they do, but when you go in the sun thats the beginning of problems, as you are busy smiling things are reacting and beginning to stay
#43 you are saying skin creams cause damage to the reproductive system,:-@ so does alcohol and other substances people take in but know are harmful to thier health but has there been a time when they said ban alcohol or cigarettes? people should learn to mind their own business. and yes white women too put tun on their bibies to make their complexion darker so pliz cut as black women some slack.**==
lol @#59 u made ma Da3 “arrest them now” lmao
please be aware that GREEN or BLUE soaps are illegal and fake.
The original MEKAKO brand is MADE IN ITALY Only and has pink/purple/orange packages.
Blue/Green ones or made in India/Africa/China are potentially unsafe and dangerous (might contain mercury or hydroquindone). Original soaps and creams don’t.
Avoid them and only trust the originals from mekako.it or mekako.fr (only official websites)