After Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, and South Africa, Rwanda has become the latest African country to ban skin bleaching products. Enforcing a ban on skin lightening productsFollowing a twitter exchange between Rwanda’s head of state, President Paul Kagame, and a concerned citizen, Rwandan authorities have imposed a ban on products containing skin lightening ingredients, most notably hydroquinone. Skin lightening: a social issueIn 2011, the World Health Organization reported that 25% of women in Mali, 77% in Nigeria, and 59% in Togo were regularly using skin lightening products. According to young Nigerian doctor Dr.Isima Sobande, who has been treating patients whose skin has been damaged, skin bleaching represents a deeply rooted social issue. Despite these reports, skin lightening products continue to be manufactured, not only in Africa but all over the world, including the United States.

Source: Ethiopian News February 05, 2019 16:07 UTC