Skin whitening ad in Senegal provokes anger

Via France 24

According to France 24, "The wolof expression 'Khess Petch' means 'all white.' It is also the name of a brand new skin whitening cream that has been advertised throughout Dakar in the past few days."

"All-white"? In Africa?

The writer continues:

Skin depigmentation is common in Africa, where the sale of skin whitening products is legal in many countries. People resort to using the creams out of aesthetic concerns based on the idea that fairer skin leads to greater social and economic success. Most of these cheap skin whitening products are made using corticosteroids and hydroquinone (illegal in the European Union), which are harmful and carcinogenic when applied in significant doses on skin. The regular use of these products leads to itching, varicose veins, and stains, but also to a strong dependence due to the product’s penetration into the bloodstream.

People aren't standing for it. A petition at Change.org to the Senegal Ministry of Health and Social Action states (in French), "we believe that the authorities health must seize the faster the issue of skin bleaching which is a public health problem in the same way as tobacco."

It has just over 1300 signatures.

Thanks to Osocio colleague Tatjana Vukic for the tip.

Related: Skin whitening ads from Hong Kong and vulva-bleaching campaign from India.

The sun will turn your girlfriend into her mother #FdAdFriday

Gwen Sharp at Sociological Images posted this weird PSA from the Belgian Cancer Foundation, translating the message as "ladies, if you don’t do what we say, you’ll be hideous and your guy won’t want you any more."



I am told that Belgian humour is pretty special, so perhaps this ad is taken differently there. Perhaps it's dating me, but from a purely instinctive position I don't find the moms to be unattractive.

The idea of sun damage prematurely aging skin is a solid one. But the risk is more than aging; it's damage. And cancer. And even death.

But that lacks candid camera hilarity, I guess.