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Jacobs M, Levine S, Abney K, et al. Fifty Shades of African Lightness: A Bio-psychosocial Review of the Global Phenomenon of Skin Lightening Practices. J Public Health Afr. 2016;7(2):552doi: 10.4081/jphia.2016.552.
Jacobs, M., Levine, S., Abney, K., & Davids, L. (2016). Fifty Shades of African Lightness: A Bio-psychosocial Review of the Global Phenomenon of Skin Lightening Practices. Journal of public health in Africa, 7(2), 552. https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2016.552
Jacobs, Meagan, et al. "Fifty Shades of African Lightness: A Bio-psychosocial Review of the Global Phenomenon of Skin Lightening Practices." Journal of public health in Africa vol. 7,2 (2016): 552. doi: https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2016.552
Jacobs M, Levine S, Abney K, Davids L. Fifty Shades of African Lightness: A Bio-psychosocial Review of the Global Phenomenon of Skin Lightening Practices. J Public Health Afr. 2016 Dec 31;7(2):552. doi: 10.4081/jphia.2016.552. eCollection 2016 Dec 31. PMID: 28299156; PMCID: PMC5345401.
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J Public Health Afr. 2016 Dec 31;7(2):552. doi: 10.4081/jphia.2016.552. eCollection 2016 Dec 31.

Fifty Shades of African Lightness: A Bio-psychosocial Review of the Global Phenomenon of Skin Lightening Practices.

Journal of public health in Africa

Meagan Jacobs, Susan Levine, Kate Abney, Lester Davids

Affiliations

  1. Redox Laboratory, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town , Skukuza, South Africa.
  2. School of African and Gender Studies, Anthropology and Linguistics, University of Cape Town , Skukuza, South Africa.
  3. Organization for Tropical Studies , Skukuza, South Africa.

PMID: 28299156 PMCID: PMC5345401 DOI: 10.4081/jphia.2016.552

Abstract

Skin-lightening is an aesthetic practice of global concern. By adopting a biopsycho-social approach, we consider the interplay between the biological, psychological and social factors that underpin the circulation and consumption of skin lighteners in South Africa. This paper reflects on biological aspects of skin lightening, interpersonal relationships, individual beliefs and expectations about the maintenance of health and well being that informs cosmetic practices. The paper seeks to examine claims made by historians (Thomas) and political philosophers and activists (Biko) that colonialism and apartheid in South Africa historically reinforced the use of skin lightening products in the country. The paper also investigates the role of media in staking out the boundaries of beauty. We argue that men and women practice skin-lightening not only as a complex result of the internalization of global standards of beauty, but meshed with a national politics of race and colorism. Banning skin lightening products without understanding the biological effects but also the social forces that underlie their increased popularity will prove futile. Moreover, we must consider the immeasurable pleasures associated with lightening, and the feelings with achieving visibility in South Africa, a country that continues to wrestle with blackness.

Keywords: biological; biopsychosocial; media; psychological; skin-lightening; social

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: the authors declare no potential conflict of interest.

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