Senegalese women risk permanent skin damage for sake of lighter shade

In many African countries, skin lightening products are big business, racking up billions of dollars in revenues for Western manufacturers. According to the World Health Organisation, 27% of Senegalese women regularly use these home treatments. A local Dakar newspaper, Sud Quotidian, claims more than 60% of women use skin bleaching products for cosmetic purposes.

In Senegal, lighter skin is often seen as more attractive, with ‘café au lait’ considered the perfect tint. Sophisticated advertising reinforces this perception, with lighter-skinned women often being presented as the ideal. But not everyone agrees: some men still say they prefer their ladies black.

To find out more about skin-whitening trend, watch Beauty and the Bleach  on RTD website.