Warning over cream being sold illegally on British high streets

"Creams marketed to lighten skin tone are being sold illegally on British high streets, including in butchers and specialist food shops. It is an unsettling discovery, but perhaps not a surprising one. Demand for these products is real and the profits are significant. But the ingredients that make them effective are also what make them dangerous."

"Some people want to lighten their overall skin tone, and colourism—discrimination or prejudice that favours lighter skin tones over darker ones—may contribute to psychological distress among people of colour. Others want to fade darker patches. Acne, eczema and other inflammatory skin conditions can leave areas darker or lighter than the surrounding skin."

Skin-lightening creams are being illegally sold in British shops, including butchers and food stores, driven by significant demand and profits. While human skin naturally varies in tone and can change due to illness, hormones, sunlight, or aging, some people seek to lighten their skin due to colourism—discrimination favoring lighter skin tones. Others use these products to address legitimate dermatological concerns like hyperpigmentation from acne, eczema, or hormonal changes, and hypopigmentation from scars. Although skin often gradually returns to its natural tone over time, the ingredients making these creams effective are also what make them dangerous to health.

Read at www.independent.co.uk