Skin lightening cosmetics destroy your health

by Harris
(UK)

Black and brown pigments protect the skin against dangerous UV rays from the sun! But skin‐lightening cosmetics destroy our health, they contain:

Hydroquinone
􀂾 causes “ ochronosis”, a disfiguring disease in which blue-black pigments are deposited onto the skin.
􀂾 The result is a spotty skin: some skin regions get darker, some lighter, called “post bleaching pigmentation”
􀂾 Skin may become chronically and irreversibly damaged.
􀂾 In contact with the eye, it causes cataracts.
􀂾 Animals treated with it develop more leukaemia, and more tumours of the kidney and liver.

Corticosteroids (hydrocortisone, betametasone etc.)
􀂾 Slows down wound healing.
􀂾 cause permanent brain and eye damage through absorption by the skin.
􀂾 “Immuno-suppressive effects”: Weaken the immune system.
􀂾 cause hair growth on the face.
􀂾 The skin slowly becomes very thin and looks very old.
􀂾 may cause diabetes, osteoporosis and erectile dysfunction (sexual weakness)
􀂾 may cause premature or low birth weight babies.

Mercury
􀂾 is the most dangerous of all skin-lightening chemicals. It poisons the whole body chronically.
􀂾 causes the skin to become excessively dry and to crack.
􀂾 causes dermatitis, i.e. inflammation, scaling of the skin and blistering eruptions over most of the body.
􀂾 causes hyper‐pigmentation, therefore gives spots on the skin.
􀂾 Mercury enters the brain, causing memory loss.
􀂾 Mercury crosses the uterine barrier and enters the brain of the embryo, therefore destroying the intelligence of the newborn baby.
􀂾 Mercury weakens fertility.
􀂾 Mercury is not biodegradable; one soap poisons the eco‐system and wildlife for millions of years.
􀂾 To manufacture or to sell mercury soaps in Europe is an offence punishable with prison!

This poster has been drawn, developed and printed by Africans for Africans.
Join the campaign “Natural is Beautiful” and distribute this poster!

Supported by:
anamed groups in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe
AICT Huyamu in Tanzania
European Herbal and Traditional Medicine Association
GIFTS in UK
International Foundation of Dermatology in UK
Phoenix Integrated Health in UK and Malawi
REAP in Kenya
GEUS in Denmark

Picture: anamed Kinshasa (anamed_kin@yahoo.fr)
Text: anamed Cameroon (anamedbda2008@yahoo.com)


The WHO has called for action to ensure that mercury containing cosmetics are no longer available!


Ask your local anamed group to produce better cosmetics with you! www.anamed.net, anamedhmh@yahoo.de