Ghana: In a commendable move, Ghana’s Food and Drug Authority has banned the sale of any kind of cosmetics containing skin bleaching ingredient-hydroquinone from August, 2016.
Claiming that Hydroquinone, which is one of the key ingredients in most fairness products, is a potential carcinogen, the African nation has taken this historic step given the background that Ghana is one of the countries which is obsessed with the concept of fair skin.

The use of hydroquinone products is banned in the United States, Japan, Australia and the European Union.

FDA spokesperson James Lartey is quoted in Ghana Star saying that from 2016, the acceptance of skin lightening products is going to be zero.”

People are obsessed with the concept  of ‘fairer skin’ and that’s why people depend on skin lightening of products to look more ‘attractive’ and ‘successful’. Most of the TV commercials and ads today directly emphasise on the fact that ‘fairer the skin, more successful and attractive you’re!” This obsession for fairer skin has existed since colonial times when the rulers were white and thus the obsession began from there.

Ghana has shown the way to break a stereotype, now it to wait and watch if ‘fair skin’ obsessed Indian will follow suit.