Happy Monday Geeks,

I saw the trailer for the Dark Girls movie a while back and then again yesterday.  Hence this post. I almost do not know where to begin with this topic! Sigh. I’m gonna try and not get too deep on you. Ok forget that! FAIL. I am just gonna give it to you like it is ( FYI I just deleted a paragraph of well written, poetic and politically correct prose! lol)

My mum is light-skinned Sudanese and my dad is dark skinned Sudanese. They are both beautiful. I came out on the darker side. I cannot tell you how many times I heard comments like the below, from a very early age:

“oh she came out on her fathers side, who told her mum to marry a dark skinned man”

“Maybe she will grow out of it and get lighter like her mum as she gets older, I’ve seen it happen, so and so daughter got lighter”

“one out of three is not bad (my youngest sister looks the most like my mum)”

I was lucky, I got the chance to leave Sudan. I had the opportunity to read and learn my history from all perspectives. I am blessed to have met people from all over the world who counteracted the above and spoke of how beautiful my skin tone is. I had the space to see for myself how beautiful we are in all shades, shapes and sizes. Eventually, I got over the early negative feelings associated with me, my skin, my person. I LOVE MY SKIN COLOUR, in-fact I love it when I have caught the sun and I am a few shades darker. Now when someone says to me “you came out on your fathers side” I say “Yes I did, and I love mine and my fathers complexion, thank you”

Here comes the science. Hope you are ready 🙂

Skin lightening is a huge problem in Africa, Asia, India and the Caribbean. Skin lightening (bleaching) cosmetics and toiletries are widely used in most of these countries. Currently, in the UK the rate of skin lightening is increasing despite many products being illegal. They are being bought under the counter and medical skin conditions are not being diagnosed. The active ingredients in these cosmetic products are hydroquinone, mercury (yes, mercury!!) and corticosteroids. Several additives (conconctions) are used to enhance the bleaching effect. Since these products are used for a long duration, on a large body surface area, and under hot humid conditions, percutaneous absorption is enhanced.

The complications of these products are very serious and are sometimes fatal, they are listed below. I want you to know them, so if you are ever in a situation that allows you to inform someone who does not know, you can. Scare the living daylights out of them if you have too, I do it all the time when I go home to Sudan, some of my cousins wont touch the stuff. Sadly, some ignore me and carry on using them. The pressure is immense. I continue to tell them they are dark and beautiful.

Dangers of skin lightening include:

Exogenous ochronosis (i.e bluish black discoloration of tissue and skin),

Skin burns

Mercury poisoning

Impaired wound healing and wound dehiscence

The fish odor syndrome ( basically, your body stops breaking down some of the oils in your skin and you smell like a fish! literally, I met someone with this condition and it is no joke!)

Nephropathy (leads to diabetes)

Steroid addiction syndrome

Predisposition to infections

Endocrinologic complications of corticosteroids, including suppression of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis aka HPA (basically it messes up everything, as your HPA regulates stress, digestion, the immune system, moods and emotions, sexuality, and energy storage and expenditure!) Now why do you wanna go mess with that eh? O!

Here is the official preview for Dark Girls

Now listen to this to make you feel better, it worked for me 🙂

I have shared a bit about myself on this post, I hope you will share with me your thoughts? Leave a comment and let me know what you think of the trailer for Dark Girls. Gentlemen, I am especially interested to know your thoughts.

Knowledge is power, so share the knowledge.

Health, Love and Life

Ex