Dark is beautiful: the battle to end the world's obsession ...

Kavitha Emmanuel is the founder of Women of Worth, an Indian NGO that is standing ... Kannan's natural skin tone is a healthy light brown, ... SkiptomaincontentSkiptonavigationAdvertisementNewsOpinionSportCultureLifestyleShowMoreShowMoreNewsWorldnewsUKnewsCoronavirusClimatecrisisEnvironmentScienceGlobaldevelopmentFootballTechBusinessObituariesOpinionTheGuardianviewColumnistsCartoonsOpinionvideosLettersSportFootballCricketRugbyunionTennisCyclingF1GolfUSsportsCultureBooksMusicTV&radioArt&designFilmGamesClassicalStageLifestyleFashionFoodRecipesLove&sexHealth&fitnessHome&gardenWomenMenFamilyTravelMoneyMakeacontributionSubscribeSearchjobsHolidaysDigitalArchiveGuardianPuzzlesappGuardiancontentlicensingsiteTheGuardianappVideoPodcastsPicturesNewslettersToday'spaperInsidetheGuardianTheObserverGuardianWeeklyCrosswordsSearchjobsHolidaysDigitalArchiveGuardianPuzzlesappGuardiancontentlicensingsiteFashionFoodRecipesTravelHealth&fitnessWomenMenLove&sexBeautyHome&gardenMoneyCarsInequalityDarkisbeautiful:thebattletoendtheworld'sobsessionwithlighterskinInIndiaandacrosstheworld,advertsconstantlyreinforcethemessagethatlighterskinismoredesirable.Photograph:PunitParanjpe/AFP/GettyImagesInIndiaandacrosstheworld,advertsconstantlyreinforcethemessagethatlighterskinismoredesirable.Photograph:PunitParanjpe/AFP/GettyImagesSkincolourbiashasspawnedaglobal,multibillion-dollarindustryincosmeticcreamsandinvasiveprocedures.Mary-RoseAbrahamtalkstoconsumersandcampaignersinIndiaaboutthedangersthisposes–andhowtostopitMary-RoseAbrahamMon4Sep201708.00BSTLastmodifiedonMon2Jul201814.52BST“Itstartswhenchildrenareyoung:themomentachildisborn,relativesstartcomparingsiblings’skincolour.Itstartsinyourownfamily–butpeopledon’twanttotalkaboutitopenly.”KavithaEmmanuelisthefounderofWomenofWorth,anIndianNGOthatisstandinguptobiastowardlighterskin.TheDarkIsBeautifulcampaign,launchedin2009,isnot“anti-white”,shesays,butaboutinclusivity–beautybeyondcolour.Itcarriescelebrityendorsement,mostnotablyfromtheBollywoodactorNanditaDas,andprovidesaforumforpeopletosharetheirpersonalstoriesofskincolourbias.Thecampaignrunsmedialiteracyworkshopsandadvocacyprogrammesinschoolstocounteractcolourbias.Emmanuelsaysthisevenoccursinschooltextbooks,whereapictureofafair-skinnedgirlmightbelabelled“beautiful”andadarkerone“ugly”.“Somechildrenarereallyshockedthatthisaffectsthemsointensely,”Emmanuelsays.“Someareintears[duringtheworkshops].”Thisisnotbias,thisisracism.ThereisawhitenesstravellingfromtheUStoshoppingmallsinothercountriesAperfectlifefromperfectskin–butonlyforthoseoftherightshade–isthemessageandmindsetthat’sbeingpasseddown.Thishasspawnedamultibillion-dollarindustryincosmeticcreamsandinvasiveproceduressuchasskinbleaching,chemicalpeels,lasertreatments,steroidcocktails,“whitening”pillsandintravenousinjections–allwithvaryingeffectivenessandhealthrisks.It’smorethanabias,it’sadangerousculturalobsession.Multinationalcosmeticsbrandshavefoundalucrativemarket:globalspendingonskinlighteningisprojectedtotripleto$31.2bn(£24bn)by2024,accordingtoareportreleasedinJune2017bytheresearchfirmGlobalIndustryAnalysts.Thedrivingforce,itsays,is“thestillrampantdarkerskinstigma,andrigidculturalperceptionthatcorrelateslighterskintonewithbeautyandpersonalsuccess”.“Thisisnotbias.Thisisracism,”saysSunilBhatia,aprofessorofhumandevelopmentatConnecticutCollege.BhatiarecentlywroteinUSNews&WorldReportaboutdeep-rootedinternalisedracismandsocialhierarchiesbasedonskincolour.IndianactorNanditaDashasbeenahigh-profilesupporteroftheDarkisBeautifulcampaign.Photograph:LoicVenance/AFP/GettyImagesInIndia,thesewerecodifiedinthecastesystem,theancientHinduclassificationinwhichbirthdeterminedoccupationandsocialstratum.Atthetop,Brahminswerepriestsandintellectuals;atthebottom,outcasteswereconfinedtotheleast-desiredjobssuchaslatrinecleaners.Bhatiasayscastemayhavebeenaboutmorethanjustoccupation:thedarkeryoulooked,theloweryourplaceinthesocialhierarchy.Fairskinbiaswasperpetuatedandstronglyreinforcedbycolonialism,notjustinIndiabutindozensofcountriesruledbyaEuropeanpower.It’stheideathattherulerisfair-skinned,saysEmmanuel:“Allaroundtheworld,itwasafactthattherichcouldstayindoorsversusthepoorwhoworkedoutsideandweredark-skinned.”Nowglobalisationisspreadingthebias.“ThereisaninterestingwhitenesstravellingfromtheUStoshoppingmallsinothercountries,featuringwhitemodels,”Bhatiasays.“Youcantracealinefromcolonialism,post-colonialismandglobalisation.”Westernbeautyideals,includingfairskin,dominateworldwide.Andwiththeseidealscomeproductstoservicethem.InNigeria,77%ofthecountry’swomenuseskin-lighteningagents;inTogo,59%.Butthelargestandfastest-growingmarketsareintheAsia-Pacificregion.InIndia,atypicalsupermarketwillhaveawallofpersonalcareproductsfeaturing“whitening”moisturiseror“lightening”bodycreamsfromwellknownbrands.‘Deformationnottransformation’PoojaKannan,27,fromMumbai,spentyearsbuyingcosmeticsthatpromisedtolightenhercomplexion.Sheboughtcreams,facewashandsoapsfortreating“skinfairnessproblems”,spendingRs200–300everytwomonths–equivalenttoaweek’sworthoftraveltohercollege.Overfouryearsofuse,shesaysherskindidlightenupalittle,butwonderswhetherthatwasduetothecreamorhertakingmorecarewhengoingoutinthesun.Kannan’snaturalskintoneisahealthylightbrown,butwhenshewasgrowingup,herauntswouldshaketheirheadsindisappointmentoverhercomplexion.Atanwouldleadsomerelativesandclassmatestoadmonishher:“You’veturnedblack,”theysaid.InIndia,whereskintoneoftendefinessuccess,abilitytofindworkoraspouse,suchcommentsmatter.Kannansaysshefeltinsecure.Indianweddingscanencourage‘unlimited’spendingonskintreatments,accordingtobeauticianEmaTrinidad.Photograph:GettyImages/ImagesBazaar“WhenIwasgettingdresseduptogoout,Iwouldrememberwhattheysaidandputonmoremake-up.”Kannanisalsoadancerandfeltdiscriminatedinperformancestoo.“Theprettier,skinnierandfairergirlsarepositionedatthefrontofthestage,”shesays.“Thatgetstoyou.”Movies,TVprogrammesandespeciallyadvertsreinforcedthebias.In2016,actorEmmaWatson(ofHarryPotterfame)hadtoissueastatementsayingshewouldnolongerendorseproductswhich“donotalwaysreflectthediversebeautyofallwomen”,aftercriticismsofherearlierappearanceinadvertsinAsiaforLancôme’sBlancExpertline.(Inastatement,Lancômeemphasisedtheproduct’s“evening”ratherthanlighteningproperties,sayingthatit“helpsbrighten,evensskintone,andprovidesahealthy-lookingcomplexion.Thiskindofproduct,proposedbyeverybrand,isanessentialpartofAsianwomen’sbeautyroutines.”)IwassosurprisedwhenIcametoIndiathatyourchancesofgettingmarrieddependonyourskincolourIn2014,theAdvertisingStandardsCouncilofIndiabannedadvertsdepictingpeoplewithdarkerskinasinferior,butproductsarestillmarketed.Adsforskin-lighteningcreamsstillappearinnewspapers,ontelevisionandonbillboards,featuringBollywoodcelebritiessuchasShahRukhKhan,JohnAbrahamandDeepikaPadukone.InmultipleFacebookpostsinApril,actorAbhayDeolcalledoutseveralofhiscolleaguesforendorsingfairnesscreams.IntheHindustanTimes,hewrote:“Advertisingpreachesthatwewouldgetabetterjob,ahappiermarriageandmorebeautifulchildrenifwewerefair.Weareconditionedtobelievethatlifewouldhavebeeneasierhadwebeenbornfairer.”Skinlighteningisnotthesolepreserveofthemoderncosmeticsindustry.India’straditionalAyurvedamedicalsystemteachesthatpregnantwomencanimprovetheirfoetus’scomplexionbydrinkingsaffron-lacedmilkandeatingoranges,fennelseedsandcoconutpieces.Earlierthisyear,anAyurvedicpractitionerinKolkataledasessionforexpectantcouples,promisingthatevendark-skinned,shortparentscouldhavetallandfairchildren.A2012studybyawomen’shealthcharityinIndiafoundthatchildlesscouplesofteninsistedon–andpaidmorefor–surrogateswhowerebeautifulandfair,eventhoughthewomancontributednogeneticmaterialtothebaby.Butperhapsnowhereisthefairskinpreferencemoreingrainedthaninnewspaperclassifiedadvertsseekingaspouse.Alongwithrequirementsfortheprospectivebrideorgroom’scaste,religion,professionandeducation,physicalcharacteristicsarelistedtoo.Someonedescribedas“dusky”maybeskippedinfavourofonewhoisofa“fair”complexion.“Potentialbridesspendalotofmoney;it’sreallyunlimitedinthemonthsbeforethewedding,”saysEmaTrinidad,aFilipinabeauticianwhorunsaspainBengaluru.“IwassosurprisedwhenIcameherethatyourchancesofgettingmarrieddependonyourskincolour.Wedon’thavethatinthePhilippines.”Themindsetissonormalisedthatmanypeopleacceptfairnesstreatmentsasastandardpartofweddingpreparations–formenaswellaswomen.WhenKarthikPanchapakesangotmarriedin2001,hewasintriguedbyadsfora“completemakeover”anddecidedtotryitout.“Ihadnevergonetoasalonbefore,”saysthemediaspecialistworkingincommunityradio.“Themassagefeltreallygood.Thentheyputthisfruityandflowerywhitepasteallovermyforehead,cheeks,noseandchin.Theypromiseditwouldevenoutmyskin.”Panchapakesansaidhiseyesstartedburningafteraboutfiveminutes,andhegotanirritationaroundhisnoseasthesweetsmellturnedtoacridfumes.Hesuspecteditwasbasedonammonia:“Itwasmorechemicalthanhorseradish,”hesays.Whenitwasalldone,hisfacelookedasifithadbeendustedwithtalcumpowder.“Itwasnotatransformation,itwasadeformation.”ThedangerofcosmeticsMostskin-lighteningtreatmentstargettheskin’sabilitytoproducepigment,ormelanin,whichgivesskin,hairandeyestheircolour.Everyonehasaboutthesamenumberofcellstomakemelanin,buthowmuchyouactuallyproduceisdowntoyourgenes.Havingmorenaturalmelaninmeansdarker-skinnedpeopletendtodevelopfewerwrinklesandarelessatriskofskincancer.Skin-lighteningcreamsoftenaimtointerrupttheproductionofmelaninorjustimprovethegeneralhealthoftheskin.Theycancontainanaturalingredientsuchassoy,liquoriceorarbutin,sometimescombinedwiththemedicallighteningagenthydroquinone(notallcreamscontainthis:hydroquinoneisapotentiallycarcinogenicingredient,andproductscontainingitarebannedorrestrictedinGhana,SouthAfrica,theIvoryCoast,Japan,AustraliaandtheEuropeanUnion,thoughtheyarestillusedillegally).Mercurywasalsopreviouslyfoundinsomelighteningcreamsandsoaps,accordingtotheWorldHealthOrganisation.Mercurysuppressestheproductionofmelanin,butcanalsodamagethekidneysandbrainifitisabsorbedbytheskinandaccumulatesinthebody.SkinlighteningcreamsonsaleinastoreinMumbai,India.Photograph:BloombergviaGettyImagesOtherlighteningmethodsincludeachemicalpeel,whichremovesthetoplayerofyourskin–leavingfresherskinexposedtoharmfulsolarradiationandenvironmentalpollutants.Lasertreatmentsofferanevenmoreaggressiveapproachbybreakingupaskin’spigmentation,sometimeswithdamagingresults.“There’sapressureonIndianmenandwomen,”saysDrSujataChandrappa,aBengaluru-baseddermatologist.“Theyhavesomerolemodelintheirheadandtheywanttogettherenomatterwhat.That’sthewrongconcept.”'Aviolencenoautopsycanreveal':thedeadlycostofIndia'scampusprejudiceReadmoreChandrappasaysclientsoftencomeinwantingtheskintoneofafavouriteBollywoodcelebrity.“Iftheirobsessionisjustwithcolour,thenIwilloutrighttellthemI’mmoreworriedthey’reunnecessarilyseekingsomethingtheydon’tneed.IfIencouragethemtoomuch,IgetthesensethatI’mpromotingracism.”ShannahMendiolaspends3,200rupees(£40)amonthonskin-lighteningsupplements–alotbylocalstandards,butMendiolahasawell-payingjobwithamultinationalcompany.OriginallyfromthePhilippinesbutnowworkinginBengaluru,Mendiolasaysshehasbeentakingthepillsforthepastfiveyears,notjustforlighterskinbutfortheirantioxidantproperties.“IlikegoingtothebeachandIfeelreallydarkafteraholiday,”shetellsmebyemail.“Iwouldalwaysprefertobuyanduseskincareproductsthatcontainskin-whiteningingredients–likemybodylotion,facewashandmoisturiser.InthePhilippines,it’salwaysaplusifyouarefair.”Mendioladescribesherselfasmorena–nottoofairandnottoodark–andsaysherskinreturnstoitsnaturalcolourfasterwhensheusesthepills.“Havinganevenskintonethat’shealthyandglowinggivesmemoreself-confidencewhenImeetpeopleforwork.Whynot?Don’tweallwanttolookgood?”Thepillsshetakesareglutathione,anantioxidantnaturallyproducedbytheliverthatcanprotecttheskinfromUVraysandfreeradicals,whichcontributetoskindamageandpigmentation.Whenthepatientstopsusingthecream,theskinreactsanddevelopsrashes–sotheystartagain.It'saviciouscycleAmoredirectformoftreatmentisglutathioneinjections.Thesearecommonlyusedtocounteracttheside-effectsofchemotherapy,suchasnausea,hairlossordifficultyinbreathing,buttheirgrowingpopularityforskinlighteninghasledtoofficialconcern.In2011,thePhilippineFoodandDrugAdministrationissuedapublicwarningaboutan“alarmingincreaseintheunapproveduseofglutathioneadministeredintravenously”.Ithighlightedadverseeffectsincludingskinrashes,thyroidandkidneydysfunction,andeventhepotentiallyfatalStevens–Johnsonsyndrome,inwhichtheskinpeelsfromthebodyasifburned.In2015,theUSFoodandDrugAdministrationwarnedofthepotentiallysignificantsafetyrisktoconsumers:“You’reessentiallyinjectinganunknownsubstanceintoyourbody–youdon’tknowwhatitcontainsorhowitwasmade.”Nevertheless,thereisgrowingconsumerdemand.Mendiolahastakentwotreatmentsofinjectableglutathione,butmostlyreliesonpills.DrMuktaSachdev,aclinicalandaestheticdermatologistinBengaluru,refusestoadministertheinjections,despiterepeatedrequestsfromherpatients.“Ipractiseonevidence-baseddermatology,andthere’snotenoughliteraturesupportingtheuseofinjectableglutathione.”Ontheweb,therearemanyvideosshowinghowtoself-injectthesubstance.“Fromamedicalperspective,itisnotpossibletolightenskinpermanently–butyoucanevenitout,”Sachdevsays.Infact,manyofherpatientsareactuallyseekingtreatmentforproblemswithotherskin-lighteningprocedures–primarilytheuseofsteroidcreams.India’spharmaceuticalregulatorhasapprovedatleast18differentcorticosteroidsfortopicalskinuse,rangingfrommildtosuper-potent.Theseusuallycostlessthan£1.50atube,andmostpharmaciesacrossthecountrywilldispensethem,evenwithoutaprescription.Peopleapplythemindiscriminatelytotreatpimplesorforfairerskin,butsteroidcreamstakeofftheprotectiveouterlayeroftheskin,soitismoreexposedtoUVraysandenvironmentalpollutantssuchassmogandcigarettesmoke.Butmoreworryingisthattheycanbeaddictive,saysdermatologistDrShyamantaBarua.'Racefraud':howacollegequotascandalexposedBrazil'shistoricracialtensionsReadmore“Themomentthepatientstopsusingthecream,theskinreacts,getsirritated,developsrashes,”hesays.“Sothepatientstartsthecreamagainandit’saviciouscycle.Theybecomepsychologicallyaddicted.”Hethinksusersshouldbecounselledasiftheywereaddictedtorecreationaldrugsoralcohol.Furthermore,therearesignsthatimpropersteroidprescriptions–oftenincocktailscontainingamixofsteroids,antibioticsandantifungals–maybefuellingasurgeinbugsresistanttonormaltreatments.DrRajethaDamisetty,acosmeticdermatologistinHyderabad,talksaboutonecombinationcontainingclobetasol–themostpotentsteroidknowntohumans,whichisusedtotreatinflammatoryskinconditionslikeeczema–mixedwithtwoantibioticsandtwoantifungals.“OnlyIndiahasthiscrazycombination,”Damisettysays,addingthattheresultisa“nightmare”.Typically,shesays,“around70–90%ofthoseaffectedbyfungalinfectionswouldhaveusedtopicalsteroidsfortreatment,andtheywouldrespondwithintwoweeks.Butnowwearehavingtogivefourtimesthedosageforeightto12weeks.It’sanepidemicacrosstheentirecountry.”Changingattitudes?Campaignersstandingupagainsttheworld’sbiastowardslighterskinarefightingmorethanjustbadmedicalpracticeandconsumerhabits.Theyarebattlingmillennia-oldpreferencesforlighterskin.WomenofWorthfounderEmmanuelisoptimistic,however.Shebelievespeoplearemoreawareoftheissuethaneverbefore,andhopesthenextgenerationwillseethingsdifferently–notjustinIndia,butacrosstheworld.In2016,threestudentsattheUniversityofTexas,Austin,startedanInstagramcampaigncalledUnfair&Lovely–aplayonthenameofIndia’smostpopularfairnesscream.The#unfairandlovelyhashtaginviteddarker-skinnedpeopletosharetheirphotos.CananadvertforteareallychangeIndia'ssexistattitudes?ReadmoreIn2013,ayoungwomaninPakistan,FatimaLodhi,launchedthecountry’sfirstanti-colourismmovement,calledDarkisDivine.Lodhihaswrittenabouttheprejudiceshefacedasachild:“Inevergotachancetobecomeafairyinmyschoolplaysbecausefairiesaresupposedtobefair-skinned!”Now,sheleadssessionsatschoolstomakestudentsmoreawareaboutskincolourdiscrimination.Attitudesarestartingtochangeamongwomenastheygaingreaterconfidencefromeducation,employmentandfinancialindependenceoutsidethehome.EmmanueldecribesoneDarkisBeautifulsessionatanall-girlsmiddleschoolinthesouthernIndiancityofChennai.Adark-skinnedteen–“stunninglybeautifulbutwithdeepself-esteemissues”–cametothefront.Shewasweepingbecause,justthatmorning,herbrotherhadtauntedheraboutherskintone.Emmanuelwasmoresurprised,however,whenanother,lighter-skinned,girlstoodup.Shesaidshe’dbelieveddarkwasuglyuntilthatmoment,butapologisedtoherclassmateswithapromisetotreatthembetter.“Theyallstartedclapping,”Emmanuelrecalls.“That’sabigmoveforateenager.Shereallyhadthebignessofhearttosaysomethinglikethat.”ThisisaneditedversionofanarticlefirstpublishedbyWellcomeonmosaicscience.com.ItisrepublishedhereunderaCreativeCommonslicenceTopicsInequalitySkincareBeautyHealthHealth&wellbeingWomenIndiafeaturesReusethiscontentMostpopularMostpopularFashionFoodRecipesTravelHealth&fitnessWomenMenLove&sexBeautyHome&gardenMoneyCars