Prevalence of Skin Bleaching Cosmetics Use in Senegal: Trends and Action Prospects:: Science Publishing Group

Prevalence of Skin Bleaching Cosmetics Use in Senegal: Trends and Action Prospects

Issa Wone¹, Ndeye Beye Ngom², Mame Ngone Leye², Fatou Fall², Bafode Timera², Fatimata Ly²

¹Health Sciences Research and Training Unit, University Assane Seck (UASZ), Ziguinchor, Senegal

²Department of Dermatology, University Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar, Senegal

Central African Journal of Public Health, Volume 8, Issue 5, October 2022

Pages: 198-202

Received: Sep. 01, 2022

Accepted: Sep. 16, 2022

Published: Sep. 27, 2022

DOI: 10.11648/j.cajph.20220805.12

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Abstract

There is more and more evidence in Africa about the medical, sanitary, health, social, and economic consequences of Skin Bleaching Cosmetics (SBC) use. This is a practice that mainly affects women and which seems to be on the rise. Our work, carried out in Senegal, had the following objectives: 1) measure the prevalence and factors associated with SBC use in 4 cities in Senegal, 2) Describe the evolution of VCD practice in Africa, 3) propose innovative perspectives for the control of SBC use in Africa, after a critical analysis of the actions undertaken. The study was carried out on a representative sample of 2,689 women distributed in 4 cosmopolitan cities of Senegal. It shows an overall prevalence of 59.20% of the practice of SBC use, with significant disparities between cities. The factors associated with SBC use were: study site, age, income level, source of information on the dangers of SBC, initial skin color, existence of own income, housing status, diabetes, high blood pressure, overweight or obesity. In spite of awareness of the dangers and control actions primarily based on the cognitive model, we find persistence, even perpetuation, of SBC use. In light of the complexity of the phenomenon in Africa and the poor results observed, a holistic analysis should be used to facilitate efficient, innovative, and integrated actions.

Keywords

Skin Bleaching Cosmetics, Prevalence, Senegal, Africa, Control, Innovation

To cite this article

Issa Wone, Ndeye Beye Ngom, Mame Ngone Leye, Fatou Fall, Bafode Timera, et al. (2022). Prevalence of Skin Bleaching Cosmetics Use in Senegal: Trends and Action Prospects. Central African Journal of Public Health, 8(5), 198-202. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20220805.12

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This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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