Keypoints:
- Surge in unsafe skin-bleaching among Somali women
- Influencers sell unregulated whitening creams
- Dermatologists warn of severe health risks
‘ONLY foolish women and the night are black.’ This age-old Somali proverb is finding dangerous new life on today’s social media platforms, where skin-whitening is promoted as a beauty ideal worth any cost.
Across Somalia and within its diaspora, thousands of beauty influencers are pushing skin-bleaching products—some promising to turn dark skin white. Once confined to market stalls and corner shops, these products are now rapidly gaining popularity online, especially among young women and teenage girls.
A 2022 survey in Mogadishu found that 75.6 percent of women used skin-lightening products—a figure that far exceeds both African and global averages. Dermatologists say many users do not understand the serious risks, while others knowingly accept the danger in exchange for fairer skin.
Influencers peddle creams, not facts
Many influencers now manufacture and sell their own creams, despite having no training in chemistry or dermatology. They combine various bleaching agents and chemicals, marketing their concoctions as miracle solutions.
Their feeds are filled with pale, heavily filtered selfies and bold red lipstick. The most popular influencers boast millions of followers and attract tens of thousands of likes per post. Sales are made through direct contact, with some influencers listing their numbers or pinning their shop locations.
They often promote lighter skin as superior, using misleading photos and videos to make their point. But the side effects? Rarely, if ever, mentioned.
One widely followed influencer recently told her viewers during an online Q&A session that she produces three different face creams—each with a ‘unique effect’. That video alone has been viewed nearly 360,000 times. In another, where she applies the creams to her face, views exceed 1.3 million.
‘My patients don’t know the risks’
Dr Mohamed Mude, dermatologist and founder of the Bidhaan Beauty and Health Centre in Mogadishu, says the impact is visible and growing. Around 60 percent of his patients suffer from rashes, redness, and inflammation due to bleaching creams.
‘Many skin-bleaching products contain harsh chemicals like hydroquinone and mercury,’ he says. ‘These can cause allergic reactions, skin thinning, and increased sensitivity to sunlight. Mercury, in particular, can lead to kidney damage and neurological issues—and it can even pass into breastmilk.’
While countries like Ghana, Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, and South Africa have banned such products, Somalia has no regulatory framework. Skin-lightening creams are widely available and sold to people of all ages.
From user to activist
Iman Osman used to bleach her own skin. Today, she runs the Maariin Skincare Centre in Mogadishu and advocates for safe, natural beauty products. She promotes this message both in-store and across her social media channels.
‘Many Somali women don’t understand the risks. Others do, but feel trapped by the pressure to look lighter,’ she says. ‘Safe alternatives are often more expensive, which doesn’t help.’
She believes change must come from within the community. ‘We need a public health campaign led by women—one that speaks honestly about the dangers of these creams.’
‘Black is beautiful’
Despite the risks, pale skin remains a deeply rooted beauty standard in Somali society. ‘Everyone wants lighter skin,’ says Hodan Dahir Maxamad from Jowhar. ‘Our culture often judges people by their complexion.’
But a quiet revolution is under way. Some women are giving up bleaching entirely and encouraging others to do the same.
Warsan* bleached her skin for five years until she developed scars and extreme sensitivity to sunlight. ‘Now I tell people that healthy skin is better than pale skin,’ she says.
Aisha, a 27-year-old journalist, started using bleaching creams as a teen and kept going for over a decade—until a workplace accident changed everything. ‘I fell down the stairs and the wound wouldn’t heal. Doctors said my skin was too thin to stitch. They told me it was the creams. I stopped that day.’
Many others have similar stories but prefer not to go public. Some were shocked by the physical damage. Others say they now know that ‘black is beautiful’—and that trying to bleach away their identity isn’t worth the cost.
*Name changed to protect identity.
Original reporting by Kiin Hassan Fakat, Naima Said Salaah, and Haliima Mahomad Asair of Bilan, Somalia’s first all-women media team under Dalsan Media Group and published by TRT Afrika.
