Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

A face-saving remedy!

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Skin-whitening creams seem to be a fad these days, with many purchasing them mostly online in the hope of getting a glowing skin. But what they do not realise is such creams can cause long-term and irreparable damage to the skin.


Doctors warn against the long-term use of skin-whitening creams as they can cause permanent pigmentation, skin cancer, liver damage, mercury poisoning, etc.


In order to make people understand the problems arising out of long-term use of such products, doctors suggest understanding the role of skin in our body.


Skin acts as a stable, but flexible, cover that plays the role of a barrier. It does not allow any “unwanted things” to enter the body. These things, available in the atmosphere, include different forms of moisture, cold, sunrays, germs and toxic substances.


According to doctors, skin-whitening creams are a dangerous mixture of steroids, hydroquinone and tretinoin. They affect the normal functioning of the skin and “reduce its role as a protective layer of our body”. They advise people, especially women, to visit a dermatologist before deciding on a skin-whitening cream, because it’s important to seek an expert’s advice on the external use of medicines because skin care creams are chemical compositions used for treating different kinds of skin-related problems.


Except for natural cosmetics, all others should be used only after consultation with a doctor.


Health experts call for official control over such products, especially on those prepared locally without any expert guidance. “It is noticed that the results are very fast and colour of the skin suddenly looks fairer. But in most cases, it results in many complications. Still, victims do not go to a dermatologist and keep applying creams based on untested formula until things go out of hand,” said a dermatologist.


“In such times, it is difficult even for a doctor to find a remedy.”


So far, ten harmful effects of using wrong skin care creams have been identified by experts. It starts with headache, then to hair problems, acne, skin allergies, eye infections, infertility, premature ageing, hormonal imbalance, cancer and common skin disorders.


Most of the victims, according to the dermatologist, had learnt about it on social media, including Facebook and Instagram, and were using it without verifying their effectiveness or the lack of it from authentic sources.


Many are using social media for shopping. These products give them “full guarantee” of making them fair within a short span of time, but they “disappear” from the scene when problems start cropping up.


Thus, such lotions and their long-term use affect the skin so badly that all three layers – epidermis, dermis and subcutis – fail to function properly. It is advisable to read the label of a skin care product for harmful chemicals before purchase.


Regular use of chemical-based cosmetics can have adverse effects on skin and could even lead to permanent damage. Reducing the use of cosmetics and switching to natural or herbal products is the best solution.


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