Skin whitening facts for kids

Skin whitening, skin lightening, or skin bleaching, is a technique of making a person's skin lighter. This is done by reducing the melanin responsible for dark skin. Some chemicals in form of pills and injections are available. Some of those chemicals (such as compounds of mercury) may be toxic.

Most skin lightening treatments are done to moles and birthmarks, but lightening unaffected skin parts is also possible. More people use such treatments because prices have dropped and there is better availability.

The new methods using both lasers and LED systems are showing good results and are possible alternative to chemicals.

Images for kids

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  An advertisement from the 1930s for Sweet Georgia Brown skin bleaching cream.