![]() ![]() 5 This practice can be traced back to colonialism, a period of institutionalised exploitation by colonists of indigenous populations. 4 Ironically, such an enhanced effect is overdetermined by inherent health risks, including skin cancers, steroid-induced acne, atrophy and telangiectasia. This enhanced effect is directed to the way products are marketed that is to achieve a desirable skin colour or to improve an undesirable one. 3 The desire to change skin colour from darker to lighter or from lighter to darker share an enhanced effect for the consumer, 2 which has subjective and objective characteristics. 2 Skin-lightening is just one of the multiple options for augmenting the skin’s surface appearance, including but not limited to tanning, scarification, makeup, tattooing, face lifts, nose jobs, botox, lip extensions, and piercings. 1 Melanie De Souza argues that the desire for even-toned, blemish-free skin spans human populations. Medical experts consider skin-lightening and skin-bleaching practices as ‘one of the most common forms of harmful body modification practices …’ (Charles 2003, p. Moreover, we must consider the immeasurable pleasures associated with lightening, and the feelings with achieving visibility in South Africa, a country that continues to wrestle with blackness. Banning skin lightening products without understanding the biological effects but also the social forces that underlie their increased popularity will prove futile. We argue that men and women practice skin-lightening not only as a complex result of the internalization of global standards of beauty, but meshed with a national politics of race and colorism. The paper also investigates the role of media in staking out the boundaries of beauty. The paper seeks to examine claims made by historians (Thomas) and political philosophers and activists (Biko) that colonialism and apartheid in South Africa historically reinforced the use of skin lightening products in the country. This paper reflects on biological aspects of skin lightening, interpersonal relationships, individual beliefs and expectations about the maintenance of health and well being that informs cosmetic practices. ![]() By adopting a biopsycho-social approach, we consider the interplay between the biological, psychological and social factors that underpin the circulation and consumption of skin lighteners in South Africa. Skin-lightening is an aesthetic practice of global concern. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |