Business of Skin Bleaching: Exploitation of the Needs for Self-Image and Self-Esteem

In my travels around, I noticed many beauty salons, parlors and skin clinics offering all types of skin lightening which I will deliberately call skin bleaching in this article. What is skin bleaching? Why is it becoming very popular among women and also certain men? How are the needs of average persons for self-image and self-esteem being exploited?

What is skin bleaching?

Skin bleaching is the use of cosmetic products to attempt to whiten or lighten the skin.

Why is it becoming very popular among women and also certain men?

Skin bleaching has been associated with beauty, a means for relationship advancements, and advancement in certain careers. The main culprit for disseminating this kind of psychologically conditioning messages has been the mass media. They are heavily financed through advertisements by companies of skin care, cosmetic and beauty products. These companies are exploiting the needs of average persons for self-image and self-esteem. Their exploitation over-rides social responsibilities. Their only concern is to make profits under the guise of beauty products and services.

How are the needs of average persons for self-image and self-esteem exploited?

Skin care, cosmetic and beauty products companies through the mass media exploit the needs of average persons for self-image and self-esteem in a systematic and meticulous psychological conditioning through irresponsible advertising. What is self-image and self-esteem?

Self-Image and Self Esteem

Self-image is what we perceive about ourselves physically, psychologically, socially, religiously, economically and so on. Self-esteem is our perception of self-worth (subjective innate values) that is derived directly from our self-image. For example, a woman perceives herself to be beautiful, rich and socially desirable. She would consider her self-worth to be high and valuable. Based on her self esteem, her emotions will be happy, giving her a feeling of contentment which would be reflected in her socially active lifestyle and positive outlooks. It is this understanding of basic psychology of persons (self-image and self-esteem) that consumer psychologists, advertisers and business persons exploit to make profits without social responsibilities.

Creating A Deficit In Self-Image That Affects Self-Esteem.

The exploitation of persons’ self-images begins by subtle but deliberate creation of deficits. How is this done? One simple strategy is to take professional models as beauty references. The average persons’ physical images (non-models) are compared with the images of these professional models that results in an automatic perception of image deficits in the minds of consumer viewers. This affects their self-esteem which creates a desire to be like the models.

Beauty Solution to Satisfy Desires

Walla! The solutions to satisfy the desires are immediately presented in the form of skin bleaching and other beauty products that promises the sun and the moon. The consumer happily pays and the business persons laugh all the way to their banks. Human vanity is so easy to be exploited.

Why Are These Psychological Exploitations Social Irresponsible?

Why do I consider these psychological exploitations as socially irresponsible?

Employment of Psychological Deceptions

Isn’t it deceptive to compare a non-model (ordinary person) with a professional model, knowing beforehand that it will produce a feeling of deficit in the minds of consumer viewers? I am surprised that enforcement agencies ignore these kinds of deceptive advertisements. It is downright dishonest and socially irresponsible.

Failure to Warn Consumer Viewers of Risks and Dangers

Cigarette packaging in certain countries nowadays carry graphic and horrific images of the health hazards of smoking. Now, if consumers insist on buying cigarettes despite these warnings, the cigarette companies can at least say that they have fulfilled their social responsibilities in fairly warning the public.

What about skin care, cosmetic and beauty products companies and businesses? Would they be willing to do the same? Would cosmetic and beauty products packaging carry similar graphic and horrific warnings. What about displays of women’s faces, which look like what the Chinese once upon time use to call derogatively, “white devils.” Faces that is pale and ghost-like in appearance especially in old age. Skin damaged faces. I doubt skin care, cosmetic and beauty products companies and businesses would want to warn about risks and dangers of their bleaching and beauty products.

Self-Worth Is Beyond Physical Appearances

Persons need to be reminded that their self-worth goes beyond physical appearances. We are worth equal by our innate priceless values. What do I mean by this? As human beings, our lives are priceless and therefore our worth is by virtue of human birth priceless. We have an innate priceless value that does not need distorted comparisons, especially by persons who would like to exploit for profit. Self-worth is everyone’s’ innate heritage regardless of status quo. It is only humans themselves that create artificial deficits of innate priceless values by erroneous and distorted comparisons for ulterior motives.