Fanta face, cocoa cola body: why do black people bleach their skin?

South African singer Mshoza, before and after bleaching

It was meant to a pimple blaster, to help with the unsightly outbreaks on my pubescent teenage skin…well that’s what my Aunt told me when she handed me the tiny lime green box.  The box contained a small chapstick sized tube. The instructions were simple – apply to affected areas. It was quite bland… pale in colour and odourless. Finally I had a remedy for teenage hormonal skin eruptions! But my excitement was short-lived, after a few weeks of “treatment”, my face began to resemble a patchwork of dark and light splotches.

I was 12 years old and that was my introduction to skin lightening. Some of us enter this realm with honest expectations – get rid of acne and pimples, others for the obvious desire for the elusive “glowing, fair, soft, young, clear, radiant” skin…. 6 words that can make any facial cosmetic product sell sell sell!!!!

The reasons
Women (and no surprises here…a lot of men ) have a desperate desire that borders on manic obsessions for beautiful fair skin. Studies show that men from all races prefer fairer skinned females.

Fair skin is subconsciously linked to “innocence, purity, modesty, virginity, vulnerability and goodness”.

The preference for light skinned women has remained prevalent over time in all cultures: Asian, European, African, Caribbean and American however they are exceptions like the Maasai in Kenya who associate light complexions with being cursed or witchcraft.

In Europe, during the Industrial revolution, light skin was associated with high social status as those with tanned skin were the poorer classes who worked outdoors. Colonization and racism perpetrated the idea that light skin slaves were more beautiful, smarter and cooperative and they often got jobs working in the house “house Negros” while their darker relatives slaved in the fields “field Negros”. Lighter skin amongst blacks still retains its elevated status to the point that studies have associated blackness with low self esteem.

The industry
So in a quest to marry men of a high social standing, beauty, confidence and self esteem, women are supporting a multibillion dollar skin lightening industry. In 2015, the skin lightening industry will be worth 10 billion dollars. The biggest demand for skin lighteners is Asia, in 2009 Asians spent an estimated $18 billion (which contradicts other figures) but with the West becoming more ethnically diverse the demand for products is increasing.

The cost of products on the market range from 50 cents to $150, making it accessible to almost everyone. Studies show disturbing results of the prevalence of skin lightening in Africa, in Bamako-Mali there is 25% prevalence, in Dakar- Senegal 52% prevalence, in Pretoria-South Africa 35%, 60% in Zambia, while Lagos-Nigeria hits an alarming 77%!

The terminology
This industry has spawned a new language..with terms either being derogatory or flattering. Skin whitening and lightening seems more political correct while bleaching is more critical. In Zambia bukes/beauxing refers to bleaching, in Jamaica browning – light skinned female,  cake soap – skin lightening products, in Tanzania – tetrasaiklini, a woman whose skin has become speckled because of the use of bleach cream, and Ghana “fanta face, cocoa cola body” for women who have bleached their face but not their body.

The science
Its not called bleaching for nothing – bleaching involves removing the melanin pigment of the skin. Melanin absorbs ultraviolet light, thus protecting humans from harmful UV radiation. Using chemicals to lessen the concentration of melanin is one of the most common forms of potentially harmful body modification practices in the world.

Active agents in skin bleaching products include hydroquinone, steroids (of which there are many types, with different potencies), mercury, lemon, citric acid and even cement water. I know of a woman to overcome “fanta face, cocoa cola body” would soak her feet in concentrated Jik!

In East Africa, mkorongo is potent mix of Jik, talcum powder, hair relaxer, mashed raw potatoes (for the starch) and battery acid. This is mixed with over the counter products like Clear Tone or Ambi, which women then smear all over their naked bodies.

Jamiacian dancehall artist Vybz Kartel has released a range of skin lightening products

The nasty effects
Some are able to achieve a fairly even skin tone but a majority end up looking like the raw, red, speckle faced dancers in Koffi Olomide videos. Prolonged use of skin lightening products and the concomitant decrease in concentration of melanin increase risks of skin cancer. Skin bleaching also encourages premature aging, irritates the skin, and cause other complications like eczema.

Misuse  of Hyrodquinone (found in products like Body Clear, Fair White, Peau Claire)  paradoxically  leads to blue-black darkening of the skin i.e. increased pigmentation in the skin called ochronosis.  In the USA and European Union over the counter sales of products containing hydroquinone are banned. Over-the-counter versions of Fair & White contain 1.9 percent hydroquinone, but bootleg versions are being sold with 4 percent to 5 percent.

Steroids can be useful for treating some skin diseases but treatment must take place under the care of a skin specialist.  Long term uncontrolled use of products which have steroids can lead to increase risk of skin infections, fungal infections, scabies, hypertension, elevated blood sugar, skin thinning, poor wound healing, acne and permanent stretch marks!

Mercury is the most harmful culprit found in products like Lemon Herbal Whiting Cream (misleading  or what?), Lulanjina, Diana and Fasco. Topical use can lead to mercury poisoning, the symptoms are memory loss or forgetfulness, headache, emotional instability, fatigue, inflammation of gums and mouth. In most cases if not discontinued it leads to kidney damage and psychiatric problems.

There are a lot of counterfeit skin lightening products on the market that will cause harmful, permanent damage to the skin. These products are often mislabeled or have the toxic products omitted.

Why do it?
A friend so obsessed with skin lightening would not only bleach herself with the most toxic of agents but persuaded her husband to bleach and also “treated” her babies skin! I have mixed race friends who bleach to appear more white and worse even only marry people who are the lighter shade of mixed race because

“No one wants a dark skinned baby…they aren’t cute!”

So…. I fail, even with now knowing more of the history, to understand the obsession with light skin. My friends and family say I don’t get it because I am already fair. They laugh at me when I choose to bask in the sun and envy me when I turn white during the cold dark winters. In Europe, the tables are turning with tanned skin becoming more popular as it is associated with a life of wealth and leisure. Tan, capucchino, caramel, or mocha are still several flavours away from dark chocolate but hopefully dark skinned models like Alek Wek will challenge these stereotypes.

We, black women, modify our physical experiences in many ways some more permanent: from hair straightening, hair removal, hair dye, make up, tribal attractive facial scarring, so then….does the argument then hold that sporting a perm, putting a weave in your hair and skin bleaching are all equally acceptable?

Alcohol increases desire for unprotected sex

Adapted from Lifting the Lid on AIDS, published in The Nation Newspaper, Malawi, 31^st December 2011.

An analysis of a number of scientific studies have proved that alcohol increases the desire to have sex without a condom.  The review was published in the journal Addiction, the investigators in the study conclude that “The higher the blood alcohol content, the more pronounced the intention to engage in unsafe sex.”

It is well known that consuming alcohol reduces inhibitions, which leads to risk-taking behaviour, affects cognitive capacity, and has an impact on immune function but what has remained unclear is the link between alcohol and the transmission of HIV.

The investigators in this study examined the relationship between blood alcohol levels and self-reported intention to use a condom or engage in unprotected sex. They were able to analyse results from 12 studies conducted in the US that fit their research criteria.  They found that an increase in blood alcohol content of 0.1mg/ml was associated with a 3% increase in the likelihood of having unsafe sex.

Blood alcohol content depends on the strength of the drinks e.g. whisky is stronger than beer, your weight, whether you ate any food, how fast you drank, and how fast your body can metabolise alcohol….that means unfortunately I cant give you a fixed equation but on average if you weigh about 80kg, drinking 3 beers in an hour could increase your blood alcohol content to 0.1mg/ml.

There are several limitations to this study but one major concern is that it is only looking at people’s intentions to engage in unprotected sex and not actual condom use. It should also be considered that people who drink more alcohol and have unsafe sex may have higher risk personality traits than others. This means that they may have personality characteristics that put them at higher risk of both activities, rather than that the alcohol caused them to have risky unprotected sex when they normally wouldn’t do so.

The best way to siphon fuel

Picture by 10b travelling

…from a jerry can into your car. Some bad minded people might think I am talking about siphoning fuel out of the tank of a car….no, no, no….this is more to do with the chronic fuel shortages affecting Malawi with those who have jerry cans (chigubus) getting first dibs at the pump. But after hassling your way to the front of queue or paying the guy off to stand in the queue for you..what is the safest and most efficient way to get that fuel from the jerry can into your car.

Funnel
An obvious choice. Poke around in the back seat of your car for a discarded bottle of water, cut in half. A funnel must have a wide, often conical mouth and a narrow stem. The wide mouth collects the fuel from the jerry can and runs through the narrow stem (the neck of the bottle) into the tank.  For those of you who bought black market fuel and are worried about damaging your engine…check out this funnel which filters out water, dirt, and debris. (Unfortunately not available in Malawi…but at least food for innovative thought).

Siphon
A siphon (tube) works on the difference in potential between two containers one being at a higher level than the other. The flow of liquid is caused by a difference in hydrostatic pressure, which allows the liquid to be drained without being pumped through an uninterrupted path e.g. no air pockets in the tube.

Siphons works on the basis of gravity and need to be triggered before the liquid starts to flow. Most times its by sucking with your mouth…and often you can get a mouthful of fuel…bad idea! By vacuum suctioning on the lower end you lower the pressure in your lungs to beneath atmospheric pressure by expanding them. Once the liquid has passed the highest point in the tube, the continuous chain of  bonds between the liquid molecules in the tube, and the force of gravity, do the rest.

For more scientific explanations on how siphons work check out the Naked Scientist or American Physical Society or the Guardian Newspaper‘s elaboration on how Oxford English Dictionary got the explanation of how siphons work wrong for over 100 years.

Is there a way to siphon without getting a mouthful of fuel
It is very dangerous; the fumes alone can damage  lungs, and if ingested, fuel can damage the your throat and stomach. A siphon pump is a safe option, there are some battery operated pumps and some handheld pumps. Those in Malawi…must be saying well that’s great but how do I get one…..well I don’t have answers for that but what I can say is I have seen an extremely innovative way of suctioning whilst visiting my in-laws in Salima…where instead of sucking at the end of the pipe, you seal up as much as possible the hole of the jerry can (the source container – with for example a cloth). Leave a little of space for you to suck the air out of the jerry can, best done by sucking in one huge lungful. This creates a vacuum in the jerry can, the fuel then moves into pipe and through the siphon….and your mouth remains fuel free!

Tips on siphoning
-       The jerry can has to be at higher height that the fuel tank.
-       Avoid air bubbles in your siphon line.
-       Be sure to keep an eye on your fuel in the jerry can and make sure the hose stays fully submerged, otherwise you’ll end up with bubbles.

If anybody has other ideas please do share.

What do you think about the development of new pharmaceutical medicines?

Please help with this research. It will provide important information on the much needed effective communication of drug development, drug adherence, drug discovery and drug resistance. The theme for this year’s World Health Day was “Antimicrobial resistance: no action today, no cure tomorrow”. It brought to the world’s attention that we are on “the brink of losing our precious arsenal of medicines” that protect and cure us from infections caused by bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. Without potentially biasing your answers any further please complete the survey…..

Evenda Dench, a PhD candidate at The University of Western Australia, is conducting a short (10 minute) online survey as part of research investigating attitudes held by the general public towards the development of new pharmaceutical medicines.

Your participation in this survey would be greatly appreciated; simply follow the link below to take part.
http://edu.surveygizmo.com/s3/672676/medicines

The survey can also be accessed at the research group’s homepage at http://www.communicatingscience.org/, or under the menu title > Research.

Your help in forwarding this information to any or all of your personal and professional networks will also increase the number of responses collected, and your support would be sincerely appreciated. The greater the number and diversity of respondents who take part in this survey, the better will be the overall representation of public attitudes about the development of new medicines.

All responses are anonymous, and any individual information collected will remain confidential. This research will not be used for marketing purposes in any way. Following statistical analysis, the results of this survey will be published and made available in 2012 at http://www.communicatingscience.org/.

If you would like more information about this survey or the research project, please contact Evenda Dench at evenda.dench@uwa.edu.au.

Approval to conduct this research has been provided by The University of Western Australia, in accordance with its ethics review and approval procedures (RA/4/1/4786).

Science Centre World Congress declaration needs strong action verbs!

To declare is a strong action in itself. You declare war, love, independence, citizenship….so why water down such a powerful sentiment with words like “encourage, support, promote and strive……” Check out the 6^th Science Centre World Congress (6SCWC) Cape Town Declaration.

The congress was held in Cape Town from the 4^th to 8^th Sept, 2011. I was there eager to furiously take notes, network like crazy, provoke arguments in sessions, devour not just lunch and refreshments but academic content – why? – because the theme was so close to my heart (and my PhD topic) “Science across cultures”.

But sadly I left disappointed, my academic appetite unsatiated but my body 3kgs heavier and exhausted from great food and fantastic entertainment during the social program. Was I wrong in thinking that the conference would highlight, showcase, feature what science centres around the world do to promote the harmony between scientific, cultural and or Indigenous knowledges through their exhibitions, outreach, ethical standards, stories, evaluations etc… Two science centres out of all the (number undisclosed) science centres at the conference spoke to the topic. Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) and Imiloa. You can read their presentations here (OMSI) and here (Imiloa).

It was clear to me that science and culture are dichotomous. Almost like science belongs in science centres and culture in museums. And it was clear from some delegates that should remain the status quo….but refusing to recognise cultural or Indigenous knowledge in scientific circles denigrates and belittles ancient wisdoms without which we would not be here today or even tomorrow! I could rabbit on about this for days but I shall leave those arguments for my PhD thesis and return to the conference declaration.

Prior to the conference, there were workshops. These workshops were aimed at supporting the development of science centres particularly in Africa. Of the 2,500 or so science centres around the world according to Jean-Pierre Ezin, Commissioner of Human Resources, Science and Technology in the African Union, only 32 are in Africa most of those in South Africa.

Prof. Ezin spoke strongly about the importance of “the popularization and public understanding of science” through a broad range of activities that include the creation of science centres. Such efforts, he concluded, “would benefit both science and society.”

This leads me to question the strength of the statement in the declaration

“Encourage the establishment of science centres and museums in parts of the world where they are lacking.”

Encourage is a weak verb, it can be interpreted in any form or fashion. The science centre networks that endorsed the document may not have the authority or mandate to enforce any action but in what way can I use this hollow statement to further our plans in Malawi to set up a science centre?

Can Malawians sing? What does it take?

Goodson and Charity, thank you for giving me ammunition for this post. What you may lack in talent you certainly make up with your courage, for that I salute you!

But why is it that Malawians always seem to miss out on the limelight? Idols Africa – Malawi auditions were extremely painful and Malawi talent search shows like Pop Music Star can be agonizing. Vocal talent is few and far between with rare gems such as the powerful voice of Wambali and reggae smooth singing sensation Sally Nyundo. How come local church choirs are so moving yet most Malawian-English pop song renditions are so unbearable to hear. Is it language, accent, genre or something more biological? How come some have talent, others don’t?

I was overwhelmed by the wealth of information out there on the science of singing, you can approach it from any angle: from the biology, looking at how the larynx  (voice box) works to the physics of musical scales to the effect music has on us…If you interested in knowing more, I highly recommend the science of music or check out discussions at the science of singing.

But going back to Goodson and Charity…..what failed them? And is there a way for science to fix it?

Tear gas! Tear gas! What is it and what to do?

photo credit Amos Gumulira - A protestor throws back tear gas cannister in Lilongwe

“Its like breathing fire!” “ My face was burning!” “My chest was so painful!” Comments from my friends and family who were caught in tear gas during the civil unrest that recently gripped Malawi, after peaceful demonstrations against the government turned violent.

The road to positive social and economic change is a bumpy one but I sincerely hope that nothing as brutal as this ever happens again, but in the event that it does…..what to do if you ever caught in the midst of teargas? What exactly is teargas? Can you protect yourself? What are the remedies?

What is teargas?
Tear gas is a term used to refer to a group of chemicals more formally known as lachrymatory agents (taken from Latin – lacrima – “a tear”) as they cause the eyes to tear.  Tear gas produces extreme discomfort by irritating the mucous membranes of your eyes, nose, lungs and mouth causing tearing, sneezing and coughing, and sometimes vomiting.…it will stop anything dead in its tracks hence its use in riot control! It is non-lethal with discomfort usually disappearing after 5-30 minutes.

A bit of science
Tear gas is actually not a gas but a very fine acidic powder (its acidic property is important to note because this determines its remedies).  The acid powder is made into a solution which is then sprayed as an aerosol or released by grenades. There are different types of compounds that are used as tear gas, but they often share similar structural chemical elements. These structural chemical elements affect enzymes along mucous membranes in the mouth, nose and lungs.

Remedies
As tear gas is an acid the most effective compounds are anti-acids. Its effects can apparently be mitigated by antacids like Maalox and Alka-Seltzer, by washing the eyes and face with a mixture of antacid and water. The only antacid I am familiar with in Malawi is milk of magnesia and I am not sure whether it would work as well, chemistry says it should.  Avoid any mint flavoured anti-acid on your face! That will just add more sting to the burning sensation.

Try and wash the clothes that you are wearing separately and make sure you wash your hair and skin as soon as possible.

Protection
Obviously a gas mask or googles but who has the time or money to have those on the ready during a riot, alternatively cover your nose and mouth with a wet bandana.

A cost-free protective device is your behaviour…panicking only makes the situation worse, stay calm, don’t rub your eyes and breathe slowly. Avoid swallowing, try coughing, rinsing your mouth and spitting. Remember this is only temporary.

Malawian media’s use of language when reporting on HIV and AIDS

I recently wrote a column for the Malawian Nation newspaper on ethical reporting of HIV/AIDS after I came across a Daily Times article that had the word ‘victim’ in a news report “…..250,000 victims are on antiretroviral therapy treatment”.

The media plays an important role in informing the public about HIV. Language is powerful in shaping people’s beliefs and thus influencing their behaviours. Inappropriate language can promote discriminatory stereotypes and harmful prejudices.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), one of the main global leaders on HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support, has guidelines on terms that should be avoided as they denigrate and undermine people living with HIV and AIDS e.g. ‘AIDS victim’, the word ‘victim’ is disempowering, it invokes images of helplessness and weakness, UNAIDS recommends use of ‘person living with HIV’.

So….armed with the recommended terminology from UNAIDS, I am putting the spotlight on Malawian media that are unethically reporting on HIV and AIDS. I chose Malawian newspapers that are available online and therefore searchable.

There are a number of terms that UNAIDS 2011 terminology guideline states should be avoided but I chose the ones which tend to more common ‘AIDS victims’, ‘AIDS patient’, ‘AIDS carrier’, ‘AIDS virus’, ‘AIDS sufferer’. There some really tricky terms…e.g. use of ‘HIV/AIDS’,  or the ‘fight against’ AIDS, ‘sex worker’ instead of ‘commercial sex worker’ or ‘prostitute’, ‘men who have sex with men’ instead of ‘gay’  but I refer you to the UNAIDS terminology for advice.

The newspapers I searched were Nyasatimes, the Times Group (Daily Times, Sunday Times, Weekend Times), the Nation and Malawivoice. Unfortunately the Malawi Democrat does not have a search function. There are a number of limitations with this ‘study’; the print papers – the Times Group and Nation do not put all their content online although what appears online is content extracted from the print edition. Anecdotal evidence suggests that most of the websites except for Nyasatimes are fairly new i.e. not more than three years or so..ish. I relied on the search functions on each newspapers’ website, these may have limited search functionality. I did not look for instances where the words were separated i.e. I did not look for the word “victim” on its own when not together with “AIDS victim” although the word “victim” is still inappropriate on its own if used in the context of an article about HIV.

What did I find?

AIDS victim – Nyasatimes 1, The Times Group 0, The Nation 3, Malawivoice 0

AIDS patient – Nyasatimes 1, The Times Group 0, The Nation 15, Malawivoice 2

AIDS carrier –  Nyasatimes 0 , The Times Group 0, The Nation 0, Malawivoice 0

AIDS sufferer – Nyasatimes 0 , The Times Group 0, The Nation 0, Malawivoice 0

AIDS virus – Nyasatimes 0 , The Times Group 0, The Nation 1, Malawivoice 1

All in all Malawian media are doing a pretty ok job although some media houses, one in particular, needs to improve their reporting. I wonder what the not so appropriately named (Malawian) Association for Journalists Against HIV/AIDS would say about these results. But even Reuters, the big global news agency makes mistakes… the term ‘AIDS virus’ found in the Nation article was because of a mistake made in the original Reuters article. When I searched Reuters, I found 394 instances of the term ‘AIDS virus’, 29 instances of ‘AIDS victims’ some of these are as recent as yesterday…

There is always room for improvement whether its Malawian media or global news agencies; during this exercise I learnt that I should avoid using HIV virus because that’s like saying human immunodeficiency virus virus!

Grandma’s finger lickin’ chicken: a road runner, a clay pot and a wood fire

Image by Arthur Haines

I could never be part of the chase. As long as I did not see it before the kill, I was more than happy to enjoy the finger licking chicken that my Grandmother lovingly prepared. Every year as a young child, my family would take the long dusty drive to visit my Grandparents in the beautiful hilly village of Junju, Malawi. We would bring with us gifts from the city – clothes, blankets, shoes and leave laden with maize, bananas, rice, beans, cassava and fish.

My grandmother and cousins as soon as we would arrive would busy themselves with catching the fattest chicken. My cousins would chase it around the banana trees but my Grandmother would know just how to coax and catch it, quickly and effortlessly slaughtering it. We would eat the chicken with nsima by evening candle light after being blessed by a lengthy prayer from my Grandfather, the Missionary.

The children, smelling of Lifebuoy and shining with Vaseline – clean after a day of herding goats and playing by the river, would sit on the floor eating from battered tin plates while the grown ups sat respectfully on the table with Grandma’s best China. Food would be served by the eldest child, everyone getting a skinny chicken piece and a fistful of nsima.

The chicken had a chewy texture, full of flavour and the sauce, a tangy smoky taste. My grandmother used no special herbs nor spices, no special olive oil, no complex cooking procedures. She simply would skin and boil the roadrunner (local chicken) and fry it with tomato and onion in a mud pot on the wood fire. I have asked my mother to replicate this dish but some thing is always missing.

In time I have to come to suspect there are three essential ingredients: a free range road runner fed on maize husks and food scraps, an unglazed clay pot and a open wood fire (not pine wood) in a small window less room. There is a fourth magic gradient…my Grandmother of course!

The scientist in me is curious (without taking out the magic) what is it about the clay pot that made the chicken taste soooo good. There are many cultures and dishes that cook in clay pots  from the Moroccan terracotta tagine to the Chinese sand pot. The benefits of cooking in a clay pot range from retaining the essential nutrients to using minimal fat. My Grandmother did not use clay pot cooking  (cooking food in an unglazed clay pot which has been soaked in water so as to release steam during the cooking process), call it mud pot cooking if you like, but she found a way to make trips to the village a culinary pleasure!

Malawians walk slower than the Japanese but…. are happier!

Malawians have been ridiculed…yes ridiculed…(forgive me if it starts a diplomatic war) by a Japanese comedy show for being the slowest walkers. In a study conducted by the psychologist Prof. Richard Wiseman through the British council, Malawi came in last among 32 countries, with the slowest average time (31.6 seconds) it takes to walk 60 feet, the country in 31st position was Bahrain with 17.69 seconds. The study is investigating the pace of life. In the 1990s, a study demonstrated that the speed of walking provides a good indication of the pace of life in a city. The Pace of Life webpage states that “people in fast-moving cities are less likely to help others and have higher rates of coronary heart disease.”  So fear not fellow Malawians coming in last is not a bad thing. We maybe the slowest walkers but according to Forbes we are the happiest too.