Skin-lightening debate spills into Parly

SITHENI NLEYA   

Debate on importation, sale and distribution of skin-lightening products has spilled into Parliament with some parliamentarians calling it deadly and causing cancer.

Others also accused colleagues in the National Assembly of bleaching which they described as dangerous.

Skin-lightening has been on the rise in Zimbabwe with mainly young girls and men wanting to run away from their dark skin in what other MPs described as a disaster and having consequences.

So dire is the situation that MPs debated it in Parliament and are pushing for reforms to ban the importation and distribution of the dangerous products.

Women’s quota MP for Rushinga constituency, Barbra Thompson, said the of skin-lightening creams are increasing the risk of cancer and importation must be stopped.

“We can see that the use of lightening creams is increasing. Cases of cancer are also increasing because there is an element of increase of cancer patients due to the use of these lightening creams,” she said.

“These lightening creams are causing a lot of domestic violence because most of the time there is no agreement between couples on the issue of lightening creams.  Most of the time when men notice that women use lightening creams, they feel that they have been betrayed.”

She said the danger of using lightening creams complicates matters when a person needs surgery.

“When someone is hurt and there is need for stitching, the skin will now be too delicate and light,” she said while encouraging the government to put in place laws which prevent the use and selling of lightening creams.

Midlands Proportional Representation MP, Perseverance Zhou said: “This issue is happening throughout the country and it is being practiced and done by everyone, from the young to the old people.

“What it means is that people are using lightening creams and some people are being injected for them to become lighter while some are using tablets,” she added.

Another MP said: “Going deeper with my research on this issue, I also discovered that these lightening chemicals and creams like injection tablets really cause damage to our livers and kidneys.”

“It also causes dementia at an early age. Being beautiful due to the use of lightening creams is good for those who love it but there are things like steroids which are being put into those creams. These steroids can cause allergies, some itching and bumps on your whole body.”

“Let me add that we also have some young men who have joined the bandwagon of trying to improve how they look by taking these skin-lightening creams. I am sure if you look around the House, you will notice such young men who have attempted to improve their appearance.”

He also recommended that a joint inquiry by Portfolio Committees on Health and Environment, supported by the Consumer Protection Authority, should look into investigating the full extent of the problem, as well as identifying supply chains, retail practices, health impacts and advertising so that the country may be guided by evidence-based policy recommendations.

He described the issues as a “matter of national interest.

Experts say the skin-lightening products contain hydroquinone and mercury and other harmful chemicals that pose health risks, including skin cancer, kidney failure, hormonal disorder and irreversible disfigurement.