| The paler the skin, the higher the classPale | | | | melanin content and skin redness.3. Asian |
| skin has had an exciting evolution. Greek and | | | | skin has a better behavior during cooler |
| Roman women used to do anything possible to | | | | months; because of reduced sun exposure, |
| whiten their face skin; the whiter their face | | | | Asian women's skin has better biomechanical |
| skin was, the more beautiful they were | | | | properties such as elasticity and structures |
| considered. Sun tanning was out of the | | | | (collagen).4. Skin becomes yellowish with age |
| question. By using lead paints and chalks | | | | and this is more visible in Chinese and |
| women put themselves in great danger because | | | | Korean skin than other racial groups.5. |
| that ancient beauty treatment could cause | | | | Japanese skin has the best condition (least |
| death by slow poisoning. It was only too late | | | | deterioration with age), while Indian skin |
| when this was discovered.The obsesssion with | | | | has the worst.In fact, there are more |
| white, "porcelain"- like skin evolved beyond | | | | differences across populations depending on |
| cosmetic reasons, becoming more related to | | | | regions, age, geographical location, climate, |
| social classes. Skin color became that | | | | skincare habits.White, whiter, the whitest - |
| visible definer separating working classes | | | | this may be lethal.In Asian countries, pale |
| from the ruling classes. A tanned skin | | | | skin has had the same significance for |
| disclosed a life of outdoor labor; those | | | | centuries: sophistication, innocence, |
| wishing to be accepted in high-life had to | | | | feminity and high social standard. That is |
| conform to this requirement: white, not | | | | why Asian women have always been looking for |
| tanned skin. The paler one's skin, the higher | | | | skin care products to whiten their skin. They |
| the class. To achieve this, men and women had | | | | used to prepare "skin whiteners", by grinding |
| no limits; any method, safe or not, was used, | | | | pearl from seashells into powder and |
| as being pale was extremely important.Asia: | | | | swallowing it. Today's cosmetics are safer |
| white skin is considered a symbol of | | | | and more reasonable. New skin whitening |
| femininityThe tanning obsession and later, | | | | products appear every year, posing less |
| the sunless tanning craze took over the | | | | dangers to women's health or life.Still, |
| world. Still, there are white "spots" on the | | | | these whitening lotions, serums, correctors |
| worldwide tanning roadmap. Asian people are | | | | and essences may involve risks worth taking |
| not so excited with golden skin. And this has | | | | into account. According to Asian |
| a lot to do with their millenary culture, | | | | dermatologists, the danger comes from |
| somehow reluctant to these trends.What do | | | | mercury. If safety allowance limits are |
| Asian females have and others don't? There | | | | exceeded, mercury (the best known whitening |
| are few differences to take into account. | | | | agent) may cause death. Unfortunately, some |
| Teams of scientists and dermatologists who | | | | products include high doses of mercury, which |
| have studied eight Asian cities (Sendai, | | | | are damaging to the central nervous system |
| Japan; Seoul, South Korea; Guangzhou, | | | | and the kidneys, and especially to the |
| Shanghai and Harbin, China; Calicut and New | | | | development of the brain in a foetus or a |
| Delhi, India; and Manila, Philippines | | | | child.So, pale skin is not the happiest |
| (representative of Malay skin) have some | | | | choice for an Asian woman, after all. Neither |
| interesting findings to reveal:1. | | | | is dark skin. So, what should they do? Using |
| Hyperpigmentation (dark spots) has an earlier | | | | proper skincare products and sunscreeen (if |
| onset than wrinkles and laxity (loss of | | | | exposed to real sun or indoor session) is the |
| firmness) on Asian skin (compared to | | | | best choice for life, not only for Asian |
| Caucasians).2. The Japanese have the lightest | | | | women but also for anybody who cares about |
| skin tone; thus, Japanese women have low | | | | skin and health.Dana Scripca is a web editor |
| melanin and skin redness. The Indians have | | | | and writes for - The Sunless Tanning Tips. |
| the darkest skin tone, and therefore high | | | | |