If you have a problem with scars or spots on your face or body then this sounds great! But if you use a skin whitener to lighten your complexion full body, in order to change who you are as some of the statements here suggest, then I think you need a session with a therapist to determine why you want to change yourself. Many people of color strive to change themselves due to pressure in our society that heightens the appeal to be white or light skinned. Commercials and videos cater to light skinned girls perpetrating that it's cool or good to be light. Keep your dark skin! The darker the better- our dark brown ancestors were beautiful and people in present day Africa, Asia and India are just beautiful!!

What's Wrong With Dark Skin!

*N-O-T-H-I-N-G!

But if you use a skin whitener to lighten your complexion full body, in order to change who you are as some of the statements here suggest

*Your skin color changing has N-O-T-H-I-N-G!
To do with who you are [your inner beauty] so it isn't about that.

Then I think you need a session with a therapist to determine why you want to change yourself

*Same can be said about people that use tanning beds, dye or perm their hair, use make-up, etc...

The darker the better- our dark brown ancestors were beautiful

*I agree, but to each their own

*sapphire/N0help
*lovin' every ray of tan the sun allows me!

*rolls eyes* didn't I just make a thread about people like this??

Its nobody's business but their own. Go tell that to the people who lay in tanning beds or sit in the sun all day to get brown, I guess they need a therapist too... And not to be rude or anything but from my experience the people who think skin lightening is bad are the people who are ALREADY light skinned like Tyra Banks or people who are as dark as Grace Jones and no amount of bleach is going to lighten them so they learn to be content or secretly envy everyone lighter then they...

The idea of skin lightening just seems odd to me.

Yeah, OK, I'm white. I'm so white I practically glow in the dark and I do glow under black lights. I don't don't enjoy it. No amount of sun will tan me. I burn if I'm outside in the sun for more than a few minutes. They don't make a sunscreen with a high enough spf to keep me from burning. Self tanners make me look orange and just plain odd.

I don't really mind my skin color. What I mind is having to avoid going outside on sunny days unless I slather on spf 80 sunscreen and reapply it every hour or two. What I mind is dealing with sunburns that make it painful to move or sit down or lie a certain way or wear most clothing, and sometimes make me physically ill. What I mind is the way it limits my activities and lifestyle.

Maybe it's because I am white in a predominantly white society. Maybe it's because it is physically impossible for me to be any paler without being albino and nothing I do will ever make me tan. I don't know. I just don't get the point of changing your skin tone if there is no medical reason to do so. It just doesn't make sense to me. It might never.

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Originally Posted by hheath541

the idea of skin lightening just seems odd to me.

yeah, ok, I'm white. I'm so white i practically glow in the dark and i do glow under black lights. i don't don't enjoy it. no amount of sun will tan me. i burn if I'm outside in the sun for more than a few minutes. they don't make a sunscreen with a high enough spf to keep me from burning. self tanners make me look orange and just plain odd.

i don't really mind my skin color. what i mind is having to avoid going outside on sunny days unless i slather on spf 80 sunscreen and reapply it every hour or two. what i mind is dealing with sunburns that make it painful to move or sit down or lie a certain way or wear most clothing, and sometimes make me physically ill. what i mind is the way it limits my activities and lifestyle.

maybe it's because i am white in a predominantly white society. maybe it's because it is physically impossible for me to be any paler without being albino and nothing i do will ever make me tan. i don't know. i just don't get the point of changing your skin tone if there is no medical reason to do so. it just doesn't make sense to me. it might never.

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I am not white, I'm black... But I'm not so far removed because of my skin color that I cannot understand why someone might want to go tan, I myself do not tan for obvious reasons, I don't need it. But I know a beautiful tan when I see one, I also know a beautiful mocha cream skin when I see one. What is wrong with wanting to obtain that? I don't want to be white, that would look disgusting given my physical features, I was not meant to be white. And if you see the pictures that people post on here on their skin lightening goals none of them that I have seen are white, so as far as living in a "white world" that statement is irrelevant.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hheath541

the idea of skin lightening just seems odd to me.

yeah, ok, I'm white. I'm so white i practically glow in the dark and i do glow under black lights. i don't don't enjoy it. no amount of sun will tan me. i burn if I'm outside in the sun for more than a few minutes. they don't make a sunscreen with a high enough spf to keep me from burning. self tanners make me look orange and just plain odd.

i don't really mind my skin color. what i mind is having to avoid going outside on sunny days unless i slather on spf 80 sunscreen and reapply it every hour or two. what i mind is dealing with sunburns that make it painful to move or sit down or lie a certain way or wear most clothing, and sometimes make me physically ill. what i mind is the way it limits my activities and lifestyle.

maybe it's because i am white in a predominantly white society. maybe it's because it is physically impossible for me to be any paler without being albino and nothing i do will ever make me tan. i don't know. i just don't get the point of changing your skin tone if there is no medical reason to do so. it just doesn't make sense to me. it might never.

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You ask why some desire to change their physical appearance when you have unsuccessfully tried to change yours... for different reasons of course... but, the fact remains the same.

The point is that you still attempted to change your skin by using self tanners to appear artificially darker. I am not saying you are wrong for this to darken your skin, as this is your right. Just as it is everyone else right if they desire to look lighter. I understand you ask this question because you have not been in this situation. So, I will try and explain.

Most of us are not trying to become a different race, that is physically impossible, but to achieve a lighter tone. For many, it isn't to lighten just for the heck of it, I'm sure they have their reasons to. You first have to also question societies around the world and in our communities why do they mistreat those who are not light, even those from the same group. All colors are equally beautiful as we are all created equal, but we all are not treated equally. Even for those who wish to not change their tone, whether they are fair, yellow, red, brown, or dark brown, which is completely their desire and is fine. Safety when altering anything on the body is important, as I am struggling to find better products.

Also, those who question "why lighten" must also question "why tan, why artificially tan, why perm the hair, why straighten the hair, why get nose jobs, dye the hair a different color, and colored contacts, lip injections, butt implants, even tattoos, wigs, " etc. etc... Humanity is always trying to alter their appearance and for one to say someone shouldn't and the other can, is hypocritical. I do not believe people MUST alter their appearance, but if they wish to or not, either way they have their reasons.

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Originally Posted by Golden_Girl

You ask why some desire to change their physical appearance when you have unsuccessfully tried to change yours...for different reasons of course...but, the fact remains the same.

The point is that you still attempted to change your skin by using self tanners to appear artificially darker. I am not saying you are wrong for this to darken your skin, as this is your right. Just as it is everyone else right if they desire to look lighter. I understand you ask this question because you have not been in this situation. So, I will try and explain.

Most of us are not trying to become a different race, that is physically impossible, but to achieve a lighter tone. For many, it isn't to lighten just for the heck of it, I'm sure they have their reasons to. You first have to also question societies around the world and in our communities why do they mistreat those who are not light, even those from the same group. All colors are equally beautiful as we are all created equal, but we all are not treated equally. Even for those who wish to not change their tone, whether they are fair, yellow, red, brown, or dark brown, which is completely their desire and is fine. Safety when altering anything on the body is important, as I am struggling to find better products.

Also, those who question "why lighten" must also question "why tan, why artificially tan, why perm the hair, why straighten the hair, why get nose jobs, dye the hair a different color, and colored contacts, lip injections, butt implants, even tattoos, wigs, " etc. etc...Humanity is always trying to alter their appearance and for one to say someone shouldn't and the other can, is hypocritical. I do not believe people MUST alter their appearance, but if they wish to or not, either way they have their reasons.

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I don't think there's anything wrong with it, as long as it's done safely. I just don't understand the point.

Yes, I know that people are treated differently because of their skin tone. I also know it happens within racial groups as much as across racial lines. I'm not ignorant enough to think that it isn't a real issue. I've seen it for myself.

I've seen someone with lighter skin treat someone with darker skin differently because of their skin tone. I've also seen someone with darker skin treat someone with lighter skin differently because of their skin tone. It goes both ways, in any racial group.

The truth is simply that there will always be a group of people who think they are better because of how they look. There will also always be a group who try to change how they look to fit in. I just don't see the point of it.

Tanning doesn't make any more sense to me than skin lightening does. Both options seem potentially harmful. Maybe it's just the chance of issues, either immediately or later on in life, that bothers me. I'm not really sure.

I don't condemn anyone for choosing to change their appearance, as long as they do so healthily. I don't support those who tan until they look like leather, or those who dye their hair until it dries up and dies, or those who self-pierce or tattoo with homemade and/or unclean tools, or those who get plastic surgery after plastic surgery until they are look nothing like they used to. I think it just boils down to one simple thing; I don't think people should risk their health trying to change their appearance. Since I know very little of the health risks involved in skin lightening, I understand the desire to take those risks less. I think I'll look into it a bit more. Hopefully I'll understand it better.

There's something sick about it
I can't deny
I'm lightening my skin for over 8 months
I went from dark brown to very light yellow..
Its sick its not normal at all

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Originally Posted by Super Shallow

theres somthing sick about it
i can't deny
i'm lightening my skin for over 8 months
I went from dark brown to very light yellow..
its sick its not normal at all

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Then why do you do it?

Honestly its none of anyone's business what someone wants to do with their own body.

And if you don't agree with skin lightening, WHY ARE YOU ON THIS BOARD??

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Originally Posted by hheath541

then why do you do it?

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Maybe they quit when they realized their skin was getting into a shade they didn't like??
OR maybe they are STILL lightening to get out of that shade they don't like??

I bet $5.00 if I went to the other self-altering boards to see how many people there trying to reform the other members... it will be negative zero :rolleyes:

For those who ask this: "I just don't understand the point?"

And then answer like this: "I know that people are treated differently because of their skin tone. i also know it happens within racial groups as much as across racial lines. I'm not ignorant enough to think that it isn't a real issue. I've seen it for myself."

... then you have answered your own question.

I believe there are healthy ways and unhealthy ways to lighten or darken ones skin, it's just takes time to discover how.. and that won't break the bank.

You know, I always thought it was also strange how there are actually places people can go to that will make them appear darker in less than an hour. They don't have places like this to appear lighter :p

To sum it up, people are always trying to achieve what they do not have already. I believe it is important to understand why they want to alter themselves and who they are doing it for before they actually begin...

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Originally Posted by Golden_Girl

I bet $5.00 if I went to the other self-altering boards to see how many people there trying to reform the other members...it will be negative zero :rolleyes:
...

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The other board for hair care questions they are ALL crying they RUINED their hair dying it.:(

I politely revoke everything I have said since I seem to have offended so many people and request that all of my posts in this topic be deleted.

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Originally Posted by hheath541

i politely revoke everything i have said since i seem to have offended so many people and request that all of my posts in this topic be deleted.

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Hheath541 you have not offended me, I have no problem explaining why I do what I do. I know that you only wanted to understand why this is done. You are not the only one who questions this, as many will also question the same. I think you should choose to leave your comments here as everyone has the right to have different views and right to their own opinion.

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Originally Posted by N0help4u

The other board for hair care questions they are ALL crying they RUINED their hair dying it.:(

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Lol... I couldve told them that, as I used to dye my hair quite often during my high school years.. and haven't touched it since.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hheath541

i politely revoke everything i have said since i seem to have offended so many people and request that all of my posts in this topic be deleted.

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Oh hon I wasn't offended! I was talking to the OP when I made my comment! *hugs*

I don't think think there is anything wrong with people who lighten their skin unless they are obsessed with it and hate themselves for being dark. It's just like tanning to look good. There's nothing wrong with lightening scars and hyperpigmentation though. Some people just want their skin to look like how it used to.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hheath541

i politely revoke everything i have said since i seem to have offended so many people and request that all of my posts in this topic be deleted.

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You are white and I am black. I understand your confusion on why people lighten their skin.
I agree with Super shallow ! It is S-I-C-K. But at lease Supper Shallow is intelligent enough to realize that she needs help. Most of the people on this blog are probably uneducated with low self esteem. Many of their posts are grammatically incorrect. Some try to compare this sick ritual to changing hair color or putting on lip stick but under their thin lightened skin they secretly dislike themselves. You don't have to take anything back that you posted. It IS WEIRD.

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Originally Posted by kammiepooh

You are white and I am black. I understand your confusion on why people lighten their skin.
I agree with Super shallow ! It is S-I-C-K. But at lease Supper Shallow is intelligent enough to realize that she needs help. Most of the people on this blog are probably uneducated with low self esteem. Many of their posts are grammatically incorrect. Some try to compare this sick ritual to changing hair color or putting on lip stick but under their thin lightened skin they secretly dislike themselves. You don't have to take anything back that you posted. It IS WEIRD.

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In case you haven't read my previous post, I'll post it here as well:
Kammiepooh that was a lame comment you made, as well as prejudging one's own actions. I rarely watch tv and when I do I only watch Discover, Nat Geo, History Channel, CNN, MSNBC. And I am definitely a book worm and bet I have more books in one room than you had in 1 lifetime. I also enjoy creating websites, programming, and action scripts as I am a web designer..so to misapprehend one's intelligence is a falacy on your part. To categorize everyone here as one race or ethnic group is stereotypical and judgemental. We come from all backgrounds, all colors, and all nationalities.

It doesn't make you any better coming on this forum every waking hour of the day harassing the other members. Did you read my previous post carefully that I had written to you? Please re-read it for clarification purposes before you are reported. Please find another forum to harass or read a few intellectual literatures at your local library. I notice your handwriting isn't too lovely either Peace ;) .

Oh...I did have one question. Why do you perm/relax your hair?...