A woman's face was covered in black patches caused by using cheap whitening creams.

Sheryl Caadan, 51, said she had started using the discounted face products in her 30s without any problems while working as a waitress in a cocktail bar in the Philippines.

But her nightmare began when she bought a skin whitener she referred to as an ‘astringent' for 150 PHP (2.17 GBP) from a streetside vendor.

She used more than 35 jars of it on her face over several years before the side effects showed. When small patches first appeared, she applied even more cream - creating a vicious circle.

Sheryl ultimately developed a metallic-looking skin, which is when she finally decided to stop using the products a couple of years ago.

Doctors in Rizal province have this week diagnosed Sheryl with 'exogenous ochronosis caused by the long-term application of skin-lightening creams'.

She said: 'The cream had good effects on my skin at first. I noticed it lightened immediately after the first jar, so I bought a second. That was the biggest mistake I have ever made. The small sports turned to large patches. Now it even hurts when my skin is exposed to the sun.'

Sheryl said black spots that looked like freckles first appeared on her face after a few years of using the cream. They became gradually worse and dark-coloured patches now cover her skin like a black mask. Foul-smelling liquid also sometimes oozes from her pores.

Sheryl, who is married to her husband Sammy Solde but has no children, said she went to local 'quack' doctors, voodoo priests and Chinese herbalists, for help but none of them revived her beautiful looks.

Dermatologist Jean Marquez, however, said there is still hope to improve the dark patches.

She said: ‘Checking her skin on the dermoscope, we found bluish-grey discolouration, but there were also normal areas.'

The dermatologist diagnosed Sheryl with exogenous ochronosis. She blamed the exposure to the chemicals in the cheap skin-lightening creams that Chery had previously used.

She said: ‘We cannot guarantee that the darkening will totally be removed, but it can improve with pigment laser.'

Sheryl will undergo more sessions at the dermatology clinic with the help of the doctor, who reminded her to keep away from sunlight during her treatment.

Whitening creams and other products that promise to lighten complexion are popular in Asia, where lighter skin is often associated with beauty and success.

Many locals believe that light skin shows they work indoors in good jobs - in offices and malls - instead of the rice fields of old that create dark tans.

The bizarre beauty trend has been coupled with the cultural influence of superficial South Korea, where singers, actors and models are naturally lighter-skinned because of the colder climate.