A Nigerian mother, identified as Fatima, has expressed deep remorse after using skin-whitening products on her six children, leading to severe burns, scars, and lasting damage.
Speaking to the BBC, the 32-year-old from Kano revealed she succumbed to family pressure, as her mother favoured her sister’s lighter-skinned grandchildren. “It hurt my feelings a lot,” she said.
Initially, the over-the-counter creams bought at a local supermarket seemed to work, but her children—aged two to 16—soon developed painful wounds, discolouration, and stigmatization. One daughter now covers her face outdoors, while others face ridicule and rejected marriage proposals due to dark knuckles mistaken for drug use.
Nigeria has the world’s highest rate of skin-whitening product use, with 77% of women regularly using them, according to the WHO. These products often contain banned substances like hydroquinone, mercury, or kojic acid, linked to kidney damage, dermatitis, and permanent scarring.
Dermatologist Zainab Bashir Yau told the BBC that many mothers bleach children to shield them from colourism, with some continuing practices they endured as infants. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s food and drug agency (Nafdac) declared a state of emergency in 2023, raiding markets and seizing illegal creams.
At Kano markets, “mixologists” openly blend unregulated ingredients, including baby products. One mother insisted on adding lightening agents for her children, dismissing risks despite her own discoloured hands.
Fatima, whose mother later apologized, urged others to learn from her mistake: “The side-effects are still here. I beg parents to use my situation as an example.”
