According to a study conducted by the Cameroon Society of Dermatology, SOCADERM, the town of Douala, economic capital of Cameroon has a greater number of citizens practicing skin whitening compared to those in other cities in the country.
The practice of Skin Whitening which involves the reduction in the physiological pigmentation of the body skin by the cosmetic use of bleaching agents in Cameroon is very common among women and more and more men nowadays.
A study conducted by the Cameroon Society of Dermatology, SOCADERM gives an account of the present situation of the practice in the country.
According to the study reportedly conducted nationwide on ten thousand men and women with ages ranging from 15 to 50 years, the town of Douala in the Littoral region of Cameroon tops the chart with 27.8% of its population involved in the practice.
The same study reveals that Douala is followed by Kumba in the South West region with 24%, followed by Yaounde in the Centre region with 19.6%, then by Kribi in the South with 11% and by Bagangte in the West region with 10.3%.
The desire to have a brighter and or uniform body skin colour has in many cases been advanced as the reason for the practice of skin whitening.
Dermatologists have however condemned the practice, stating that the consequences are far reaching, including kidney failure, high blood pressure, neurologic symptoms such as tremor, memory loss, and irritability to name but these.
Source: Journalducameroun