Wong Celestine, Wong Samuel, Tang Howard, Minocha Rashi, Singh Rajesh, Grills Nathan
Dermatology Resident, Skin and Cancer Foundation Inc, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Radiology Resident, Department of Radiology, Western Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Indian J Public Health. 2017 Apr-Jun;61(2):137-140. doi: 10.4103/ijph.IJPH_318_15.
In India, fair skin is a highly valued physical attribute. Skin lightener products comprise 60% of the dermatological market. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the general medical outpatient clinics of Champa Christian Hospital to elucidate the perceptions of fair skin and determinants/pattern of skin lighter use. Demographics, pattern of skin lightener use and incidence of side effects, perceptions of lighter skin tones were the main outcomes and measures studied. The use of skin lighteners was highly prevalent in our study population. Believing that lighter skin is beneficial for self-esteem is a predictor for skin lightener use. Higher education was associated with lower perceived benefits of fairer skin and therefore reduced skin lightener use. Further education and increased community awareness are important to address the issues surrounding potential over-use of skin-lightening products.
在印度，白皙的皮肤是备受重视的身体特征。美白产品占皮肤科市场的60%。这项横断面研究在尚帕基督医院的普通内科门诊进行，以阐明对白皙皮肤的看法以及美白产品使用的决定因素/模式。人口统计学、美白产品使用模式和副作用发生率、对较浅肤色的看法是研究的主要结果和衡量指标。在我们的研究人群中，美白产品的使用非常普遍。认为较浅肤色对自尊有益是使用美白产品的一个预测因素。高等教育与对白皙皮肤较低的感知益处相关，因此美白产品的使用减少。进一步的教育和提高社区意识对于解决围绕过度使用美白产品的潜在问题很重要。
