There are many pressures that we expect people to live up to in the world today. it seems that you have to conform in some way to be accepted. Whether it is dressing a certain way at work or for family and/or social engagements there are many expectations put upon us.
We even put upon ourselves to look and behave a certain way in front of different people and the general public. Think of the woman that would not dare go outside without makeup and high heels…or the guy who has to wear a necktie to work even though he sits behind a desk all day barely speaking to anyone – let alone seeing an actual client or visitor!
Why do we allow ourselves to be controlled in this way? Partly it is down to social conventions and acceptance. In some way rules are there for a reason and they can and are appropriate and welcome in certain situations. We’re not really talking about your wife or husband asking you to wear a certain dress or shirt to meet some new friends, but more so when you are deemed unworthy in front of people when you do not act in a certain way. It could even be that the car you drive is not the “right” make and model.
Now down to the real crux of this piece. Skin color. This is another and probably the most serious expectation that people and society put on people to show that they are in some way worthy to be seen. In certain countries the pressure is massive and women (and men to a certain degree) will go to extreme lengths to alter their skin tone.
South and SE Asian countries are especially guilty in this respect. Women and men from Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and India to name a few are obsessed with having light skin. You will find in certain countries that the majority of skin lotions, night creams and moisturizers contain bleaching agents. On top of this, women will then go and pay for expensive treatments to further lighten their skin.
Women in Japan are obsessed with lighter skin and this is nothing new. Written in ancient Japanese literature of 1000 years ago are examples of men bragging that their women do not need face powder to have a fairer skin tone. To a lot of Japanese a lighter skin complexion is associated with having perfect blemish-free skin.
In Thailand fairer skin is seemed desirable as it historically means that you do not work outside on the farm or in the fields. Lighter skin must mean you are wealthy enough to sit inside out of the sun rather than those poor folk laboring outside.
As if the pressure to conform is not enough, the actual process of lightening the skin color can be extremely hazardous. There are many examples of people that have attempted to bleach or whiten the skin and have ended up scarred horribly.
Danger of Cosmetic Skin Lighteners
Just recently a Japanese cosmetic giant – Kanebo – recalled skin lightening products after complaints from thousands of people there complained of uneven complexion and blotching of the skin. Their products are sold all over the world, especially in those countries where skin whitening is popular.
Clearly there are dangers involved with altering the tone of our skin, this is obvious. Although there are known relatively safe ways to gently and safely alter the tone, there are also many treatments that include toxic and blatantly dangerous chemicals to bleach the skin of its natural hue.
Hydroquinone is a chemical that has been banned in many countries due to fears that it can cause cancer. It works by altering the amount of melanin that is produced in the skin, thereby the amount of pigment in the skin. Despite the fears it is still present in many treatments available.
This is the level of desire people have that overcomes fears for their own safety. Of course there is also some ignorance involved here as some people will just not know or even be interested in what is contained in the treatments that they choose – the outcome is significantly more important for them.
It is difficult to see this behavior changing anytime soon. The beliefs and social pressure are particularly strong and the majority of people just do not have it in them to be themselves and disregard other people’s thoughts about them.
Maybe they are just more interested in what is on TV or playing a game on the iPad rather than being different. This is understandable to some extent, we as people are not all that different from each other and the desire to be the same as everyone else is strong.
Meladerm Facts 