Nigeria is facing what dermatologists describe as one of the most alarming skin-bleaching epidemics in the world, with prevalence rates reported between 40 percent and 84 percent, according to WHO Afro Region and iAHO data.
The rising burden fueled by dangerous products, social pressure, misinformation and aggressive marketing has prompted the Nigerian Association of Dermatologists, NAD, to launch a nationwide campaign aimed at confronting what they describe as a "public health emergency hiding in plain sight".
The campaign, tagged #EmbraceYourSkin, was unveiled at a media briefing at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Dermatological Clinic in collaboration with Eucerin, where leading dermatologists, health experts, regulators and journalists gathered to issue the strongest warning yet about the medical and social consequences of skin bleaching.
"Skin bleaching is not a beauty choice. It is a health risk with severe complications," said Prof. Dasetima Altraide, President of NAD.
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"We are seeing rising cases of skin cancers, treatment-resistant infections, liver and kidney damage, and permanent destruction of the skin barrier. Even more alarming, children and unborn babies are being exposed to harmful products."
He said Nigeria's reputation as the world capital of skin bleaching reflects a deeply entrenched problem and one that goes beyond cosmetics and speaks to identity, culture and misinformation.
The NAD President stated that the new campaign supported by Eucerin aims to tackle the crisis from all fronts: public education, regulatory enforcement, clinical guidance and media advocacy.
Noting that ignorance is killing Nigerians, he said for many Nigerians, bleaching is normalised, glamorised or disguised under softer terms like toning, glowing, or clarifying.
But the dermatologists said the danger remains the same.
"NAD is urging Nigerians to choose health over harmful beauty standards. Say no to bleaching.
"Skin health matters. Your natural skin colour is the best for you.
You were born this shade. Own your shade. Embrace your skin," Altraide said.
He urged pharmacists and regulatory agencies to ensure harmful bleaching agents are not readily accessible over the counter and called on the media to amplify accurate information that reshapes the long-held false narrative that has labeled the natural dark skin as inferior.
Speaking, a Consultant Dermatologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Dr. Erere Otrofanowei said: "There is no difference between bleaching and toning. They are all the same harmful practice. The only difference is the language used to make people feel better about it."
She warned Nigerians to be wary of products marketed with fruits or vague natural claims:
"When you see carrots, papaya, watermelon on a cream label--run. Eat fruits, don't rub them on your skin."
She said Social media has worsened the crisis. "Tiktok and Instagram show you before-and-after pictures but never the damage in between. People don't know that the thin skin around the eyes can literally break from these products."
The experts repeatedly raised concern over the fastest-growing category of victims children, including infants.
"We have babies who already look like adults with hairy skin, yellowish patches and chronic infections," Otrofanowei said.
"Some mothers mix steroid creams into baby lotions because they want to maintain the baby's 'light' birth colour. It's dangerous ignorance with lifelong consequences."
The dermatologists warned that early bleaching can cause repeated fungal and bacterial infections, organ damage, and accelerated aging long before adulthood.
"What adults will do, they will do but let them know the consequences"
Speaking on enforcement, Dr. Ehiaghe Anaba of the Lagos State University College of Medicine noted that bleaching control cannot rely on policing alone.
"The government cannot jail anyone for bleaching. We cannot go into your house and stop you. But we will keep telling the truth about what you are doing to your skin."
She dismissed the growing trend of organic beauty products, calling it misleading and dangerous.
"Coconut oil is organic. But once someone is mixing things for you, you are using something harmful. Many people bleaching don't even know they are bleaching."
Anaba also warned that bleaching accelerates aging: "Our skin ages slower than Caucasian skin. But the moment you start lightening your skin, you age faster. Keep your complexion. Maintain the skin God gave you."
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Also, a Consultant Dermatologist at FMC Nasarawa State, Dr. Olarinoye Gboyega said bleaching destroys the body from the inside out.
He explained that bleaching compromises the body's natural defences.
"The skin is perfectly designed to protect you from toxins and infections. When you bleach, you strip away that protection," he said.
He listed steroids, hydroquinone and mercury as the most dangerous ingredients often disguised or mixed in unsafe concentrations.
"If you use a cream and see results in a few days, be worried," he warned. "It means something harmful is inside."
"Your skin is an organ treat it like one"
In her views, a Consultant Dermatologist, from Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Belema Abbey emphasised the biological role of melanin and the need for simple, healthy skincare.
"Melanin protects your DNA like an umbrella. Your skin regulates water, electrolytes, shields you from infections and gives you beauty. Your natural skin is enough."
She advised Nigerians to prioritise rest, hydration, good nutrition, sunscreen, and basic moisturizers--seeking dermatologists only for medically necessary treatment.
