Skin Lightening as a Tool of Social Status

The practice of skin lightening is rumored to date back to 200 BC. It is known that in ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman societies, especially women, tried to lighten their skin tones using natural products like honey and olive oil to appear more beautiful. In the centuries that followed, people took significant risks for the same reason, applying harmful substances like lead to their skin.

In 19th-century Europe, the reason white women used dangerous chemicals containing arsenic to make their skin even whiter and paler was to emphasize their wealth and status. Skin that remained porcelain-white, untouched by the sun, meant one was rich and privileged enough to avoid all outdoor labor—work that could be delegated to others.

During the colonial era, as a result of the white supremacy created by the colonialist mindset, dark and black skin was not merely considered unattractive; it was used as a justification for the enslavement of certain races.

But not all black slaves were considered equal. Lighter skin was equated with being closer to the white race; thus, light-skinned blacks were granted certain privileges. Among the black slaves forcibly brought from Africa, those with lighter skin were assigned to work indoors, in domestic service, which did not require exposure to the sun. These slaves not only had better jobs but also enjoyed a higher status. Light-skinned black slaves made better marriages; they drew closer to their white masters while distancing themselves from their black brethren.

It wasn't just in Africa. In Asia and South America too, dark skin has been subjected to lightening treatments since the 16th century to get closer to the colonizer and gain status.

So, why do people today continue to risk their health to lighten their skin?

One could argue that the situation for dark-skinned people changed very little even after colonialism. Having light skin still brings with it various privileges. Today, both in the West and in America, it is observed that light-skinned black people are more educated and have better jobs.

Consequently, lighter skin, a symbol of beauty, also opens the door to higher social status.

The painful truth is that in African and Asian countries, light skin is similarly defined as a symbol of beauty. Light-skinned girls of marriageable age have more suitors. Their chances in job interviews are much higher.

The financial incentive for promoting skin lightening is enormous. In 2024, the profit from skin-lightening creams is expected to reach $31.2 billion globally.

Although some countries have banned the use of skin-lightening creams, those who want to use them find alternative ways to access these products. According to World Health Organization reports, 77% of Nigerian women regularly use skin-lightening creams.

Indeed, skin lightening is not a one-time procedure. Since the skin constantly renews itself, it does not stop producing melanin, the substance that gives skin its color. Therefore, skin-lightening products must be used routinely. The mercury and other heavy chemicals contained in these creams work to stop the production of melanin, which protects the skin from sunlight. When melanin production is inhibited, the skin is left unprotected.

These chemicals are so harmful that, alongside short-term effects like irritation, swelling, numbness, acne, and redness, they also cause permanent damage to the user's internal organs. They pave the way for numerous life-threatening diseases, chief among them cancer.

The cessation of melanin production is medically defined as a disease. Albinism, which occurs in both black and white races, results from the skin's inability to produce melanin. Due to the lack of this pigment, which gives color to hair, eyes, and skin, albino patients become highly sensitive to sunlight. Albinos, who have a high risk of skin cancer, also often experience vision problems.

It is known, however, that an abundance of melanin causes no physical problems. On the contrary, dark skin is less affected by the sun's rays and shows fewer wrinkles.

Both because of the health problems it causes and because it perpetuates racial inequality, the issue of skin lightening must be addressed more seriously.

However, as long as the inconsistency between rhetoric and practice persists, and as long as science, reason, and human sensibility do not unite against global white supremacy, it seems unlikely that skin lightening and similar practices will decline.

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Sources:
https://theconversation.com/bleaching-creams-are-by-products-of-colonialism-a-view-from-french-history-83692
Lorenzi r. “Mummy Shows Ancient Egyptians Bleached Their Skin” Seeker, June 10,2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/06/15/dangerous-skin-bleaching-has-become-public-health-crisis-corporate-marketing-lies-behind-it/

This article was originally published in Independent Türkçe on January 18, 2025.