Help! My Girl Is Addicted To These So-called Whitening Products.

Hi Guys,
This might not sound as a big issue but it seems like its getting out of hand. She is now 26 and I recently stumbled on a picture of her when she was 20. Believe you me, she was just slightly creamy then and she was PRETTY!!! She is now white,  as in Michael Jackson white. Well,  sometimes, red-white   

I now go out of my way to research the internet to find skin healing products because of all the tiger-stripes-like stretch marks and disgusting eczemas she developed from the over-use and over-combination of these creams and soaps. I even bought the ones I could find around e.g. Bio-oil, palmer's stretch mark remover and jergens shea butter skin healing cream.

I suspect she is still using the products because they have a perculiar irritating smell and I still perceive it on her and she turns red just after a few minutes expose to direct sunlight. I have come out clear to her that I hate the idea of skin bleaching and outlined the dangers (including skin cancer, leaukamia, mercury poisoning, liver problems, stretch marks eczema, infertility, miscarriages and still births).

My major concern is her health and our future when it comes to begin our own family but she is completely clueless. What else can I do to help her? It has obviously become a psychologically compulsive need for her.

I know a lot of people are going through similar struggles with cream use and over-use. Its possible people indulge in such for greater acceptance by society. Truth is,  Black is Beautiful. What is your take on this issue Guys?

Its not only her skin its detroying,  I guess her psyche, her health and self-esteem also. I feel so sad that there is nothing immediate I can do to help her.

Someone once told me to threaten to breakup the relationship if she doesn't change her cosmetic line. I didn't use that approach. Instead, I decided change it for her.

Holly Ghost what the hell is she thinking?

get her to stop. at first when they start using it, they glow and what not, then it's all fine and dandy. but after a couple of years then u start seeing the adverse effects. especially in the older ladies with their messed up faces.
what do u mean by slightly creamy? 


anyways, get her to stop. the therapy shouldn't be after seeing the dermatologist. you should start asap. it's like with anorexia. you have to change the sick person's frame of mind first, otherwise, all the medicine in the world won't make them stop.
and buy her a strong sunscreen. like 50spf that gives both UVA and UVB protection so that she doesn't incur more damage that she already did. she should wear it everyday over her moisturizer, especially if she goes out in the sun.
also get her to start drinking tea (i don't mean milk and bournvita. actual green tea lol ) and foods that contain plenty antioxidants because i heard those reverse skin damage.
another thing is you could buy her a nice face cream. one of those fancy ones that make your face soft and glowy. they're expensive but at least it'll make her feel pretty without being unhealthy. check the ingredients though and make sure it doesn't contain bleaching agents.
ex. estee lauder face cream or one of those  nice fancy creams she'll appreciate and use as a healthy substitute for the more dangerous ones she's currently using

I don't know what it is with this bleaching!! I know a girl here 25 with burn scars and browns spots because of bleachingg!! I mean yuck!! I could never!,I love my skin, naomi campbell the top leading modrl has wonderful chocolate skin, why would I want to mess mine up?

Thanks for breaking it all down ladies, my girl should meet you guys

@oyinda

Was looking for a color to qualify her without saying 'yellow' coz she was not.

Well me i go talk too,

Is she ashamed of her color?

Damn ! maybe she is, but be warned you all knw hw MJ went all in the name of these,


Keri Hilson: Dis is bad, real bad micheal jackson

So the same goes to her !

Cocoa butter may also help to even out the skin.

Youre a good guy I must say. Its impressive that youd try to help her.
´Like everyone here has suggested, you guys should go see a dermatologist. No one else can advice you better.
But once a black person goes Micheal Jackson, theres no turning back, cos the pigmentation has been bleached so to speak. So bear in mind she wont ever be black, but getting her help can help her skin recover.
Someone also suggested sunscreen which I'd recomend too, but do nothing without advice from a dermatologist.

On your own, if you get her to listen to you, she should drop makeup completely and change her diet and drink at least 3.5litres of water daily.
Tomato works wonders for the skin. I eat like 2 a day, raw or boiled, but not fried. You'd be shocked at the difference in appearance after just a week.

lagos_boy, i applaud your concern for your lady!

seriously, does she think her skin looks good with all the scarring? 
sorry to say, but she's done a LOT of damage, from what uve described.

for her skin:
shea butter! cocoa butter!
aloe vera gel sooths iritated skin. it sounds like her skin is very irritated.
vitamin E oil.
african black soap.

to take internally:
fish oil supplements do wonders.
she needs to be eating good fish that has a lot of omega 3 and omega 6. fish like tilapia and salmon.
vitamin B supplements.
vitamin C supplements
eat lots of apples. the antioxidants keep the skin fresh.
she should drink lemon juice. lemons help to remove damaged skin.
carrot juice removes blemishes.
she should drink green tea. LOTS OF IT.


after 8 months, her skin will be looking more normal.
but keep up the good work. 

That might help,  though I doubt if it would cure the scars!

oh, shea/cocoa butters & aloe vera gel will definitely get the scars.

It's one thing to praise dark skin but why do you have to trash whites?  Do you ethnocentrics not get tired of this?

blacks don't get plastic surgery right?

@ poster , u've really tried , i must say , left to me i would have left for good long ago.

To get out of addiction isnt easy.U'll hav to do alot of counselling&perssuation&pray she listens