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Bleaching Products Influence Skin Disease Presentation

Over half of women presenting to a dermatology clinic in Senegal have used bleaching products cosmetically, influencing the presentation of skin diseases.

Researchers from Institut d'Hygiene Sociale, Dakar, and other centres in Senegal and France asked a representative sample attending the clinic about their use of cosmetic bleaching products. Of the 368 women interviewed, 52.7% admitted currently using them.

The authors then examined bleaching product use in more detail in 425 women. Ninety-two percent of users reported applying the product to their entire bodies, with a median use of four years.

Hydroquinone was the most widely used skin-bleaching agent, employed by 89% of women. The concentration of hydroquinone varied between 4 and 8.7%. Seventy, 10 and 17% of the products contained glucocorticoids, mercury iodide and caustic agents respectively. Super-potent glucocorticoids were the commonest steroid. However, the authors were unable to determine the composition of 13% of the skin bleaching products.

The women who used the bleaching products attended the clinic for a variety of conditions including dermatophyte infections, scabies, acne, eczema, irritant dermatitis and dyschromia. The authors commented that using bleaching products seemed to induce, aggravate or modify most skin diseases.

Moreover, in 39 and 33% of women, the clinicians noted striae and facial macular hyperchromia, respectively, that the subjects seemed to disregard. Further statistical analysis revealed that glucocorticoid use was associated with both the presence and severity of skin infections and acne.
Br J Dermatol 2003;148:3:493-500. "Skin diseases associated with the cosmetic use of bleaching products in women from Dakar, Senegal"

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