Juliet Jacob Ochenje
A Lagos-based physician, Dermatologist and Venereologist, Olufolakemi Cole- Adeife, has warned mothers against using bleaching cream on their babies, saying is an abuse of children.
She gave this caution in a video posted on her official Twitter page @fulakydancidoc.
“A lot of children now being bleached by their parents using skin lightening products that are damaging their children’s skin.such act is a form of child abuse, and should be seen as a crime and also should be seen as child molestation,” she said.
She noted that bleaching children’s skin may lead to long term complications and hinder their normal growth.
Therefore, she advised, mothers should not push their insecurities unto their babies or children’s skin, adding that “children are beautiful, you do not need to change their skin colour for any reason. Also, when babies are born, their skin colour is lighter because they are in the womb. Once they are out of the womb their skin colour will change because of exposure to sun.
“You do not want to be battling with side effects of skin bleaching in child that is less than six years old, this is a serious matter. Please do not bleach your child’s skin. Do not look for maintaining colour skin care products for your child, do not look for toning products for your child because they’re harmful to children.
“Frequently, I see children with the adverse effects of skin lightening (bleaching). It is quite saddening. Toning creams for children are now advertised all over the internet! This needs to stop.”
