SHOTLIST:

DAKAR, SENEGAL (AUG. 19, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL)

1. VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS OF CITYSCAPE OF DAKAR

2. SENEGALESE WOMEN, NDIAYE NDAW, SITTING IN ROOM

3. COSMETIC PRODUCTS ON FLOOR

4. VARIOUS OF NDIAYE NDAW, WHO USED SKIN WHITENING PRODUCTS, SHOWING SKIN DAMAGE ON HER ARM/ SKIN DAMAGE ON ASTOU NDIAYE NDAW'S BACK

5. NDIAYE NDAW, SPEAKING/ SHOWING SKIN DAMAGE ON HER ARMS (TWO SHOTS)

6. ASTOU NDIAYE, WHO USED SKIN WHITENING PRODUCTS, SPEAKING TO REPORTER

7. VARIOUS CLOSE SHOTS OF NDIAYE NDAW'S DAMAGED SKIN ON HER BACK, FACE AND CHEST

8. PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET/ WOMAN PROVIDING FOOT CARE TO ANOTHER WOMAN ON STREET (TWO SHOTS)

9. WOMEN INSIDE STORE WALLS LINED WITH COSMETIC PRODUCTS IN GRAND YOFF DISTRICT (TWO SHOTS)

10. COSMETIC STORE OWNER CHEIKH MBAYE SPEAKING TO REPORTER

13. DERMATOLOGIST MAME AMINATA NDIR, SPEAKING ON PHONE

12. DERMATOLOGIST MAME AMINATA NDIR, SPEAKING TO REPORTER (French)

13. DERMATOLOGIST MAME AMINATA NDIR, SPEAKING ON PHONE


DAKAR, SENEGAL - AUG. 19: Despite health risks and long-term side effects, many women in Senegal continue to use skin-lightening products, driven by the persistent belief that lighter skin is more beautiful.

Senegalese dermatologist Mame Aminata Ndir said the creams, locally called khessal in Wolof, remain popular because of deep-rooted social perceptions linking beauty with lighter skin. She noted that even babies are often described with phrases such as “ugly black,” reflecting how the words “black” and “ugly” are commonly associated in daily speech.

In addition, she pointed out that media constantly reinforces beauty standards favoring lighter-skinned women.

For some, the consequences are devastating. Ndiaye Ndaw, 55, from a suburb of Dakar, said she used skin-whitening creams for about 20 years, leaving her body covered with lesions.

She added that her arms, neck, and legs were covered in sores, preventing her from wearing her favourite clothes.

Looking at old photos, she realizes she had not appreciated her natural beauty and questions why she had done this to herself.

Astou Ndiaye, 56, recalled that during her youth, women would comment first on each other’s skin tone, often praising lighter complexions.

She highlighted the societal pressure women face, adding that she now longs for the beauty of her original skin when looking at old photos.

The market remains strong. Cheikh Mbaye, who sells whitening creams in Dakar’s Grand Yoff district, said celebrities and media figures are rarely dark-skinned, fueling demand.

Mbaye emphasized that women are often pressured to use these products by their parents and spouses and especially around weddings and holidays, the sales break records.

A 2023 World Health Organization study found that 27% of Africa’s population has used skin-lightening products at least once, while between 25% and 80% of women across the continent use them regularly.
Experts warn that these products work by suppressing melanin production, which reduces the skin’s natural protection against harmful sunlight, leaving users vulnerable to lasting damage.

Writing by Ayse Elif Erdis