+Bleaching: Why you should avoid it at all costs
Silvani E Mng'anya
...........cosmetics that contain mercury and hydroquinone are often dangerous to the skin..... hydroquinone is a very sensitive chemical that makes the cells of the skin completely dead. The big part of that is that once the skin is distorted, it can never be repaired...... chemicals used for bleaching may kill the cells found on the skin (melanin), exposing the skin to dangerous diseases such as cancer.......Mercury does not only harm the skin but also can cause damage to the brain and kidneys, irreversibly....
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/article/2017-01-16/207116/
Bleaching: Why you should avoid it at all costs
By: LYDIA ATIENO
PUBLISHED: January 16, 2017
It is always safe to check the ingredients of lotions to avoid bleaching unknowingly. / Net photo
Despite the warnings associated with using skin lightening products, some women may still want to try out their luck, especially whitening their face skin, commonly known as bleaching.
Last year, the Ministry of Health issued a list of prohibited cosmetics in reference to the Law No47/2012 gazetted on 14/01/2013 relating to the regulation and inspection of food and pharmaceutical products. The move was mainly to protect Rwandans from harmful cosmetics.
Some health experts believe that certain creams blemish the skin more than petroleum jellies, and that it is hard to know the right cream with low or no hydroquinone.
Due to this apparent lack of information about bleaching agents, it leads to most of people buying creams mainly for applying on the face for a smoother look to end up with bleaching products.
Medics say any product (cosmetics) that contain mercury and hydroquinone are often dangerous to the skin, and that when it comes to the skin, being cautious on what to apply on is important because the skin is more sensitive, especially the face compared to other areas of the body.
Why you should not bleach
According to Janvier Rusizina a doctor at La Nouvelle Clinic in Remera, Kigali, developing of acne, swelling of some parts of the skin, formation of dark spots, as well as irritation of the skin are just some of the side effects that may come with bleaching.
For those starting to bleach at an early age, Rusizina says they are putting their health at risk as they grow older.
“For instance, if someone starts using those products containing hydroquinone and mercury in their 20s, the skin could become thinner as the natural components of the skin diminish. This later causes more severe problems in later stages of their lives,” he says.
Rusizina emphasises that presence of hydroquinone and mercury in the bleaching cosmetics is very harmful to the skin.
“Hydroquinone is a very sensitive chemical that makes the cells of the skin completely dead. The big part of that is that once the skin is distorted, it can never be repaired. This reason should be a warning for those who are planning to lighten their skin,” he warns.
Private Kamanzi, a nutritionist and dietician at Amazon Complimentary Therapy in Remera, Kigali, says any product that contains mercury and hydroquinone is harmful to the body.
“For instance, the skin is responsible in facilitating the breathing of the entire body with spores which allow the body to exchange the gases by removing toxins and waste through sweat. This means that when such harmful products are applied to it, they inhibit the exchange of gases, reducing the process of waste removal,” he adds.
Besides, he says that the chemicals used for bleaching may kill the cells found on the skin (melanin), exposing the skin to dangerous diseases such as cancer.
Achille Manirakiza, a training clinical oncologist at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Tanzania, also concurs with Kamanzi saying bleaching products normally contain ingredients that are harmful to human body.
“There are two naughty ingredients added in these products, which are mercury and hydroquinone. The latter does harm by whitening the skin as it prevents melanin production,” he says.
Manirakiza notes that, mercury, when contained in a lotion, gets absorbed and enters the bloodstream.
“Mercury does not only harm the skin but also can cause damage to the brain and kidneys, irreversibly,” he says.
When such products are used for long, the melanin found in the skin is destroyed, and can even disappear for good because one is exposed more to ultra-violet rays from the sun, according to Manirakiza.
He, however, explains that ultra-violet rays are responsible for about 90 per cent of skin cancers by themselves.
“By interfering with the normal DNA structure, adding in imperfections, the cancerous cells are able to grow,” he says.
Manirakiza further notes that the skin cells, along with a few other cells of the human body are on a constant death and regeneration toll, partly caused by what they get exposed to like bathing water, but are as well liable to changing within minutes or hours.
Standardisation of some ingredients in cosmetics
Article 3, Nº20/38 of 26/02/2016, of the Ministerial Order gives the list of cosmetics whose use is prohibited in Rwanda.
For instance, in the article, according the Ministry of Health, every cosmetic product shall have a label indicating its ingredients, and the label shall also indicate the concentration level of any cosmetic product.
Mercury and hydroquinone are among the ingredients that are prohibited in some cosmetics.
According to Raymond Murenzi, the director general at Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS), people should use that law to protect themselves from harmful products.
“Everyone is expected to comply with the law, especially those importing or selling the products,” he says.
Natural ways of making your skin fairer
For Eugene Hategekimana, a nurse at Polyfam Polyclinique Familiale in Kisment, the best way to achieve skin beauty is by sticking to the right foods.
“Eat right, do some exercises and use the right body cream products, especially those rich in vitamin E to ensure a beautiful skin,” he says.
Hategekimana cites collagen and aloe vera as some of jellies that work wonders for any skin type.
He also notes that daily cleaning and moistening of the face will ensure the dream face look.
Kamanzi, on the other hand, says plants are composed of vitamins that are capable of making ones skin smoother and fairer. When consumed, they protect the skin giving it a beaming look.
Kamanzi says hydrotherapy (treatment by hot water) and sauna are also good activities one can engage in to attain good looking skin.
He points out that this is because they facilitate the body to eliminate toxins from the body through the skin in the process of sweating, leaving the skin clean and clear.
“Vitamins A, E and C ensure a good looking skin. They also protect the skin from cancer as they act as anti-cancer agents. They as well promote the creation of collagens that gives the skin a smoother look,” he says.
Vitamin E increases vasodilisation (the diameter of veins), which allows normal blood flow, thus helping the skin breath by expelling toxins through sweating.
How to do away with scars and spots
For those who may be worried about patches and some spots or scars due to either injuries or acne, Dr Richard Kanimba, a Kigali-based dermatologist, says the best way is to seek advice from a dermatologist.
Depending on the degree of the scar, Kanimba says one can either treat or leave it. For instance, in the first case is where the scar has reached the outer layer known as epidermis, while the second scenario is if the scar has reached the second layer of the skin called dermis. Here one should worry not as the body itself is capable of healing the scar.
“On the contrary, when the injury has penetrated up to the subcutaneous area, there is nothing that can be done since the damage has already affected the fibroblasts and adipose cells,” says Kanimba.
He adds that in case of inflammation of the skin, plants rich in vitamin C can help in healing. One can either consume them or apply their juice on the affected area.
Such foods include tomatoes and other foods rich in vitamin A.
http://www.ippmedia.com/en/news/alarm-number-people-bleach-skins-vanity-increases
Alarm as number of people bleach skins for vanity increases
James Lanka
11 May 2016
TFDA Northern Zone Manager, Damas Matiko, said yesterday that the authority is currently striving to remove from shelves and destroy banned cosmetic products that many women use to bleach their skins.
Matiko was speaking to reporters and editors operating in Kilimanjaro region who attended a one-day seminar on e hazards of contraband foodstuff organised by the authority.
The manager added that at the moment people using banned products have made a turnabout and are using prescription creams and ointments in their quest for lighter complexions.
“The government has banned soaps,
skin creams, ointments and other products that contain deadly intoxicants such
as steroids, chloroforms, mercury, sulphur, hydroquinone and 11 other listed
harmful chemicals,” said Matiko.
He added that despite the ban, traders have been smuggling the compounds and
selling them clandestinely due to high demand.
“But manufacturers of these creams have of late been cheating by not printing the list of active ingredients on packages containing creams and ointments.
“This means we now have to start afresh taking products to the government chemist laboratories to test whether they contained the intoxicants or not,” explained the TFDA manager.
Worse yet is the fact that some people have been going to chemist shops, dispensaries and hospitals to buy permitted and legally imported skin treating products which again they misuse through over-application or smearing them over their skins without following instructions.
This, according to TFDA, is as
dangerous as using poisonous chemicals.
“As a result we are now experiencing increasing cases of skin and liver cancer,
women missing their menstrual cycles and some giving birth to retarded
children. Other problems include brain tumors, sudden unexplained deaths, and
prostate cancer for men and increased facial hair for ladies,” warned Matiko.
Some of the banned cosmetic products are those bearing trademarks such as Jaribu (soaps) Diva Clearing Soap, Princess Cream, Mont-Claire cream and many others that keep cropping up the shelves on a daily basis with different names.
TFDA Laboratory Director Ms Charys Ugullum said that major cities in the country including Dar-es-Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza, Mbeya, Moshi and Tanga lead in cases of ladies bleaching their skin with banned cosmetics being destroyed by TFDA on a weekly basis, but also the number of cosmetic shops are on the rise, with many of the banned creams also being sold at beauty parlors or hair salons.
TFDA yaainisha ‘mauaji’ yaliyojificha katika vipodozi
Na Mwandishi wetu
24 Machi 2016
TAKWIMU zilizotolewa na Taasisi ya Saratani Ocean Road (ORCI) ya jijini Dar es Salaam, zinataja tatizo la saratani inayotokana na vipodozi imeongezeka kutoka wagonjwa zaidi ya 2,000 katika kipindi cha mwaka 2000 na kufikia 5,400 kwa sasa.
Pia utafiti uliofanywa nchini na Profesa Msaidizi wa Chuo Kikuu cha Georgia, Atlanta, Marekani, Kelly Lewis wa kitengo cha Sosiolojia, kuhusu matumizi ya ‘mkorogo’ kwa wanawake nchini Tanzania, umebaini zaidi ya wanawake milioni sita wapo kwenye hatari ya kuugua saratani, kutokana na matumizi ya vipodozi.
Kadhalika
taarifa za utafiti huo zinaonyesha kwamba idadi ya wanawake wote Tanzania ni
milioni 23 na kati yao asilimia 30 sawa na milioni sita wanatumia vipodozi
vyenye kemikali hatari na madini ya Zebaki, Hydroquinone pamoja na maji ya
betri.
Kutokana na matumizi hayo, Lewis anasema Tanzania ipo kwenye hatari ya
kuongezeka walemavu wa mtindio wa ubongo kwa wanawake wengi kuzaa watoto wakiwa
kwenye ulemavu huo, huku wengi wakipoteza maisha kutokana na kukithiri kwa
matumizi ya vipodozi, hivyo vilivyotengenezwa kwa kutumia kemikali zenye
viambata sumu.
Zaidi Profesa Lewis anasema, asilimia 70 ya vipodozi hivyo huingizwa kutoka nje ya Tanzania, kupitia njia mbalimbali zikiwamo bandari bubu za Bagamoyo, Tanga pamoja na mipakani, kwa kutumia usafiri wa malori makubwa ya mizigo ambayo hufanya safari zake katika nchi za Congo DRC, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi na nchi nyingine.
Matokeo ya utafiti huo yanakuja, huku kukiwapo katazo la Mamlaka ya Chakula na Dawa hapa nchini (TFDA), kuhusu utumiaji, uingizwaji na uuzwaji vipodozi hivyo ambavyo ni hatari kwa afya ya binadamu.
Ofisa Uhusiano wa TFDA, Gaudensia Simwanza, anasema kuwa mamlaka hiyo imepiga marufuku vipodozi vyote vyenye viambata sumu, ingawa bado watu wanavitumia.
Katika kutokomeza matumizi ya vipodozi vyenye viambata sumu, Simwanza anasema TFDA imeanza mpango wa kutoa elimu kwa wanafunzi ambao ni rahisi kuelimisha jamii kutokana na elimu watakayoipata.
“TFDA imebainisha baadhi ya vipodozi vyenye viambata sumu kuwa ni pamoja na Carolight, inayotajwa kuwa na sumu kali zaidi pamoja na vile vyenye madini ya zebaki (Mercury), sabuni ya jaribu na Mekako Clobetasol na Betamethasone, krimu ya amira, betasol na skin success,” anasema.
Gaydebsia anasema kuwa, utafiti wa kitaalamu unaonyesha kuna athari kubwa ya matumizi ya kemikali hizo, hasa kwa wanawake wajawazito kutokana na kemikali hizo kuathiri watoto wakiwa tumboni na kuwasababishia ulemavu, saratani hata kifo mara wanapozaliwa.
DAKTARI ANENA
Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Kinga ya ORCI, Dk. Julius Mwaiselage, anaitaja kemikali
nyingine ya Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), inayowekwa kwenye ‘lipstiki’ kuwa
husababisha saratani ya ini na figo. Pia Polyethylene glycols ambazo huwekwa
kwenye krimu husababisha ugonjwa huo.
Dk. Mwaiselage anasema changamoto kubwa wanayokutana nayo, ni ya wanawake wengi wanaotumia vipodozi vilivyochanganywa kienyeji, jambo ambalo ni vigumu kubaini uhalisia wa kemikali zilizotumika ndani yake.
“Wanawake wanapaswa kuzingatia ushauri na elimu inayotolewa kuhusu hatari ya matumizi ya kemikali, kuachana na tabia ya kutumia vipodozi duni na kufuata maelekezo yaliyotolewa na TFDA ili kuepukana na matatizo ambayo siyo ya lazima,”anasema.
Dk. Tara Cullis kutokaka Canada, ambaye ni muasisi wa taasisi ya David Suzuki Foundation ya Chuo Kikuu cha Harvard, anasema kemikali ya BHA na Butylated hydroxytoluene BHT ambazo huwekwa kwenye ‘lipsticks’ nazo husababisha mtumiaji kupata saratani.
Mwalimu wa Shule ya Wasichana ya Kisutu jijini Dar es Salaam, Daniel Kibona, anasema ugonjwa wa saratani ya ngozi, hauwezi kukoma nchini, kwasababu serikali haijaweka misingi imara ya kukomesha matumizi ya vipodozi vyenye viambata sumu.
Kibona anaongeza kuwa, tatizo la matumizi ya vipodozi hivyo ni kubwa kwa sababu halijaingizwa katika mitaala ya kufundishia wanafunzi na hakuna kipengele cha kufundisha kuhusuu madhara ya vipodozi, kama ilivyo kwa magonjwa mengine ya malaria, kipindupindu, kichocho na zinaa.
MAONI YA
WATUMIAJI
Naye mkazi wa Ilala Bungoni jijini humo, Zulfa Husein, anasema chanzo cha
utumiaji vipodozi hivyo ni tamaa inayosababishwa na wanawake kuhamasishana
kutumia mikorogo, ili kutambiana kuhusu urembo wa mwili, kumbe wanaishia
waiharibu ngozi zao.
Rose Mkalimoto, mkazi wa Kimara jijini Dar es Salaam, anasema baadhi ya wanawake wanatambua madhara yatokanayo na vipodozi hivyo, licha ya kupatiwa elimu mara kwa mara.
“Mimi niliwahi kumshauri mwanamke mmoja aache kutumia mkorogo, matokeo yake alikuwa mkali na kunikebehi kwa kuniita mshamba na ninamuonea wivu…hata ninapojaribu kuwaasa wasichana na marafiki zangu wengine hawanielewi kwasababu wameshajijengea kwamba uzuri wa mwanamke sharti awe mweupe ,” anasema Mkalimoto.
Anasema
katika kipindi hiki pia kuna baadhi ya wanafunzi wa shule za sekondari ambao
wamejiingiza kwenye matumizi ya vipodozi hivyo kutokana na kukosa elimu juu ya
madhara ya vipodozi vyenye viambata sumu
Bahati Shukuru, ni miongoni mwa watumiaji wa vipodozi hivyo, anasema ni miaka
mitano sasa anatumia vipodozi hivyo lakini ngozi yake inapendeza na kusababisha
rafiki zake kuitamani kwa kiasi kikubwa.
“Mimi natumia na hata marafiki zangu wamevutiwa na weupe wangu, hayo madhara yanaletwa na watu wanaotaka kuvuruga biashara za wenzao mbona kuna watu wanaugua saratani ya ini, utumbo, na hata ya shingo ya uzazi nao wamepaka Carolite? anahoji Bahati.
Anasema wanaoumia ni wale wanaotumia mkorogo wa jadi: “Wanachanganya dawa ya meno na sabuni ya unga, jaribu pamoja na dawa ya kuondolea madoa kwenye nguo ‘jiki’,”anasema.
Dk.Elidje Ekra ambaye ni Mhadhiri wa Chuo Kikuu cha Treichville Abidjan, nchini Ivory Coast, anasema idadi kubwa ya wanawake wenye saratani ya ngozi nchini humo ilimfanya aamue kufanya utafiti uliogundua kwamba waathirika walikuwa wakitumia mikorogo ambayo imechangia kwa kiasi kikubwa kupata ugonjwa huo.
Anasema kuwa kemikali zinazotumika ili kuhakikisha ufanisi wa kuchubua rangi asili ya binadamu zinachangia kwa kiasi kikubwa kuongezeka kwa matatizo ya shinikizo la damu pamoja na kisukari.
“Mikorogo inayochubua ngozi ni maarufu mno katika mataifa mengi ya Afrika huku wanawake wengi wakipendelea kujichubua ili waweze kukubaliwa kwamba ni warembo wanaovutia zaidi kumbe wanajitengenezea sumu inayowatesa na kuwamaliza kabisa,”anasema.
Anabainisha kuwa matumizi ya vipodozi hivyo yanachochewa na kasumba ya madai kwamba mwanamke mrembo sharti awe na ngozi laini na nyeupe, pamoja na kuwaridhisha wenzi wao wanaopenda wanawake weupe hali ambayo inazidi kuathiri wanawake kwa kiasi kikubwa bila wao wenyewe kujua.
Taarifa kutoka Shirika la Afya Duniani (WHO) inabainisha kuwa kati ya asilimia 100 ya dawa duniani kote 10 kati yake ni bandia au duni na kwamba asilimia 50 ya dawa hizo duni hutengenezwa kutoka nchini China na India ambako kuna maabara zilizoko chini ya ardhi.
Dawa hizo duni ni zile ambazo viambata vyake havikidhi viwango vya ubora vinavyokubalika kisayansi pamoja na mtengenezaji wake kubadili viambata, nembo, vifaa vya kufungashia na wengine hudanganya kwa namna yoyote ile kwa lengo la kujipatia kipato.
TFDA inakiri tatizo kubwa la matumizi ya vipodozi vyenye kemikali hapa nchini licha ya kutoa elimu kwa njia mbalimbali ikiwamo kwenye mihadhara na maonesho kama vile ya wakulima Nane nane, Sabasaba na mengine.
Matumizi ya vipodozi vyenye viambata sumu yanazidi kuteketeza nguvu ya Taifa kutokana na ongezeko la ugonjwa wa saratani, hivyo ni jukuu la kila Mtanzania kumwelimisha mwenzake ili kuepukana na ongezeko hilo.
Pia serikali inapaswa kuhakikisha inaongeza kipengele cha vipodozi na madhara yake katika mitaala ya mafunzo kwa shule za msingi na sekondari ili kuhakikisha janga hilo linapungua na kutokomea kabisa.
Silvani Mng'anya
P.O. Box 77266
Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA
Tel: +255-22 246 1052
Mobile: +255 762 986 953 / +255 713 226 568
Betty Obbo
EU tightens border controls on Uganda’s vegetable exports
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mathias muhochi
Anna Edward
Thanks for educating us be blessed.
Anna Edward
This is being done by many youth in Tanzania thanks for good information about bleachong and its side effect.