"This one is called 'three days before the wedding.' It is too strong to use alone. You have to mix it with other products," said Traore.
Women complain that products like this can sting their eyes or burn their skin. The harsh chemicals can weaken the tissue, leading to stretch marks and infections. But still they don't stop.
Senegalese filmmaker Khardiata Pouye Sall was so troubled by the trend, in particular among prominent female public figures in the media, that last year she made her international-award-winning documentary "This Color That Bothers Me." It aired nearly a dozen times on state television in Senegal.
"I used the most shocking images so that women would know what they are exposing themselves to," said Sall. "Many of them know the dangers, but don't think it will happen to them. It is hard to understand why a woman would tell herself that dark skin is not beautiful. It's in their heads. They want to please a man, to be loved. Or they want to please society, to succeed."
Sall said the government needs to better regulate the marketing and sale of these products, but also emphasized that educating women really is the only way to make skin-lightening go out of style.
最新
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25