AWARENESS AND IMPACT OF SKIN LIGHTENING PRODUCTS ON THE HEALTH OF WOMEN IN LAGOS STATE: A CASE STUDY OF TEJUOSHO MARKET, YABA.

Skin lightening remains a widespread practice among women in Nigeria, often influenced by societal beauty ideals, media portrayals, and peer pressure. This study investigates the level of awareness, usage patterns, health implications, and environmental impacts associated with skin lightening products among women in Tejuosho Market, Yaba, Lagos State. A cross-sectional descriptive design was adopted, combining a structured questionnaire administered to 200 women and laboratory testing of selected creams using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Findings revealed a high awareness rate (100%) of skin lightening products, with 63% of respondents reporting current or past use. While 76.4% acknowledged the health risks, continued use was driven by perceptions of enhanced attractiveness and media influence. Self-reported adverse effects included skin irritation (41.7%), hyperpigmentation (26.9%), and delayed wound healing (18.3%). ICP-OES analysis of three popular cream samples ("Carotone", "Vitee", and " Perfect white") revealed dangerously high concentrations of mercury (up to 5.02 ppm), far exceeding the World Health Organization's recommended limit of 0.5 ppm. Arsenic (up to 0.20 ppm) and bismuth were also detected, indicating potential systemic toxicity with prolonged exposure. Furthermore, disposal practices among users—mostly via open drainage or general refuse—suggest serious environmental contamination risks through heavy metal leaching into soil and water systems. The study concludes that although awareness of health risks is high, behavioural change remains limited. The results underscore the need for targeted public health interventions, stricter regulatory enforcement, promotion of natural beauty alternatives, and safe product disposal strategies to protect both human and environmental health.