The naked truth

This is the sad face of a trend that has been bubbling in the underbelly of the Black and Asian society for decades. It is an issue that is as ugly and uncomfortable to acknowledge as the bad body odour of a dear friend. The phenomenon is skin bleaching, and Lil' Kim has just become its newest, most accomplished poster child.

Skin lightening products have grown in popularity and are increasingly available at many beauty outlets. They hinder the amount of Melanin, the chemical that creates pigmentation in our skin. This causes the skin to become lighter. Melanin is produced naturally by everyone but the production varies from person to person. People with a dark complexion produce more Melanin than those with a lighter complexion. Therefore, bleachers use products such as creams gels to lower the level of Melanin in their bloodstream.

In recent times the Black and Asian community have become a large and profitable market for companies selling skin bleaching products. They have been an easy target for semi-reputable companies looking to market 'miracle' solutions for uneven skin tone and hyper-pigmentation, which are common skin complaints for Black and Asian groups. These products are designed to treat small, isolated areas and are not intended for prolonged usage. However, many consumers abuse these products, in the hopes that they can mask much 'larger' problems.

The bleaching craze, which 'took off' in the Caribbean and India, has raised strong concerns with medical professionals. Some products are thought to contain dangerous, possibly cancerous chemicals. Moreover, other products contain Hydroquinone, a bleaching agent that is banned for cosmetic usage.

On the other hand, bleachers may be doing our communities its greatest favour by literally 'bringing to light' a serious issue that has plagued the Black and Asian communities for hundreds of years. It is revealing the importance of an issue which was thought to be long forgotten.

The issue of the superior skin tone.

The notion that light skin is better than dark skin is not a new one. Many bleachers believe that in lightening their skin they will not only be considered more attractive, but also more successful, both socially and romantically.

To some this way of thinking is shocking and warped, but are bleachers simply being realistic about what they have experienced in life?

Take American rapper Lil' Kim for example. Her larger than life image is synonymous with her career. It is certainly more famous than any of the songs that she has ever made. She has built her career on risqué clothing, breast enhancement surgeries, blonde weaves, coloured contact lenses and ever lightening skin.

Yet she did not start out this way, she began her career as the only female rapper in a crew of hardened male rappers, including the late Notorious B.I.G. The business of fame is not easy. Being a young female mc in a male dominated industry in the early nineties was a tough position to be in.

Lil' Kim always wanted to be famous in her own right. She never wanted to be living in the shadow of her on/off rapper boyfriend, 'The Notorious B.I.G.' So she chose her strategy and stuck to it. Her USP (unique selling point) was going to be sex, sex and more sex. However, in an industry where black beauty is perceived as light skin and long hair, e.g. an industry which will always favour a Beyoncé to Kelly Rowland or Mis-Teeq's Alesha Dixon over Sabrina Washington, Lil' Kim took the easy route. She conformed.

She chose a route which surely increased her publicity and super stardom. Yet like all things it came with a price. Lil' Kim gained stardom and notoriety at the expense of her beautiful natural looks. In her quest for fame, fortune and acceptance Lil' Kim, like so many other bleachers, Lil Kim has lost her greatest asset of all, her identity.