Skin expert and specialist Diana Rose Okiisco, while on an interview with Olive Najjuma on Brunch Talk, urged those interested in bleaching to do so as long as it's done safely.
As an expert in skincare, the guest said that keeping one’s skin colour doesn't necessarily imply beauty.
“We need to appreciate and accept ourselves but at the same time I'd say that if you do something which makes you happy and it's safe, please go ahead because why would you castigate a woman who wears hair extensions while it's okay to wear braids or see a tattoo as offensive yet you might also have acrylic nails. So in these things we have to do what pleases us as long as you make sure it's safe,” Okiisco commented.
She ventured into skincare after her university education where she studied Business Administration. With regular hormonal acne breakouts, Diana thought of digging into a deeper understanding of skincare products to solve her skin problems; while helping others out with the same. She then enrolled for several online courses and interacted with multiple dermatologists.
Now with her knowledge in various skincare routines including brightening, lightening and whitening, she says that skin lightening isn't as disastrous as many people think.
“There are certain ingredients that lighten the skin in a healthier way such as Licorice powder, Glutathione and Sepiwhite when used in controlled higher percentages to lighten the skin. Sometimes they lighten certain skin pigmentations that cannot be altered by mere use of normal skin products which don't change the skin complexion completely,” she said.
She added that the over commercialisation of lightening skin care products has brought about the misuse of some ingredients such as hydroquinone today by both manufacturers and users of the products, unlike back then when manufacturers had only good intentions.
“If Hydroquinone is used under a doctor’s guidance, it is very good for fading dark spots or uneven skin when used at a certain level such as 2% to 4% while using sunscreen because it will nicely clear your skin. But what happens today is that people have abused it. They use it in creams for years and don't stop, yet these creams are also loaded with steroids which are only good when used in specific amounts,” she explained.
She then added how people often use these products in a wrong way by mixing them, leading to conditions like Ochronosis, locally referred to as Namakula, which happens after the prolonged use of hydroquinone, killing the skin directly from the inside after skin cells get damaged.
However, the skin expert said that those who want to lighten themselves have to do it confidently as long as they are under professional supervision.
She advised people interested in whitening and lightening, brightening and even those on natural skin care products to use sunscreen to protect their skins because the ingredients in most of these products are photosensitive. “Wear sunscreen to cover your entire face, neck and body to avoid getting sunburnt,” she recommended.
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