Dr Sampson Ofori, a skin specialist has shared some effects bleaching can have on the skin.
In an interview with Mercy Bee, the Ekumfi Princess on e.TV Ghana’s Girl Vibes, he said, “God in his own wisdom placed what we call the melanin on our skin to protect us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays because, it can have bad effects on our skin which causes premature aging”.
According to him, what many do not know is that when one bleaches, it simply means, “you’re doing away with the melanin which protects you from skin infections, ochronosis, boils, odor of the skin and many others”.
He added that when this is done, one completely damages his or her skin; and the skin once destroyed, is very difficult to restore.
Dr. Sampson also shared that apart from the skin being damaged, bleaching can also cause an individual low self-esteem.
Asked if it is possible for one to correct damages after destroying the skin, he shared, “It is very difficult to bring it back to normal because the skin is made up of 3 layers and once you bleach, it falls on the last layer of the skin which causes a scar and scars are very hard to get rid of or sometimes nothing can be done about it at all”.
In order to prevent this from happening, he advised Africans to appreciate their skin. “Our black skin doesn’t age easily like the white’s and that is why they (whites) use sun block to protect themselves”.
By: Gyamfuah Owusu-Ackom
