Fairness Cream Ads: New guidelines make it illegal to call dark-skinned people inferior!

If you've seen most fairness cream ads, the basic concept is essentially the same in all of them. A dejected girl or guy who can't achieve anything in life because of their dark colour (job, girlfriend, husband, popularity, etc.). But after a few weeks of using the advertised product, not only does their skin colour drastically change, their life takes a 360 degree turn with all the luck in the world falling in their kitty. They get their dream job/dream girl/dream whatever!

But all this is set to change now with the new set of guidelines issued by The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). According to the new guidelines, the ads cannot portray the following:

• The ads can't show people with a dark skin tone at a disadvantage such as inferior or unsuccessful particularly in matters like attractiveness to the opposite sex, job offers, matrimony proposals, etc.
• Ads cannot show dark skinned people associated with a particular caste, community, region, ethnicity.
• There shouldn't be any gender discrimination shown based on one's skin colour.
• The depiction of the model before using the cream should not be negative, sad or depressed.

With these stringent guidelines in place, it will be interesting to see what ad makers come up with to sell such products. It is high time people realise that their success or failure isn't determined based on their skin colour whether they are fair or dark. It is also a shame that many top Bollywood celebrities are associated with these fairness products Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Shahid Kapoor, etc. But over the years, many have criticised these products too. Kangana Ranuat refused to endorse a fairness cream, Ranbir Kapoor, Abhay Deol too condemned such ads.

One question that also comes to mind is do fairness products really work? Do their tall claims live up to their promise?

According to Dr Kiran Lohia, dermatologist and founder of Cosmedic Skin Solutions, 'An analysis of the three most popular fairness creams in India revealed that only around 5-10% of the ingredients actually help in promoting fairness. The remaining ingredients actually act by moisturising and softening the skin, or by protecting against UV exposure. This makes the skin look a bit fresher, giving the appearance of a slight brightening.'

A noted facial plastic surgeon Dr Debraj Shome believes, 'Certain skin-lightening products containing a chemical called hydroquinone are already banned for sale in the European Union, Australia, and Japan, amongst other countries as an over-the-counter (without prescription) ingredient. However, in Asia, skin whitening is a huge market.

'By altering the skins natural structure and inhibiting the production of melanin, the skin's natural protection, the skin is more susceptible to skin cancer.'

You may also like to read:

• Kangana Ranaut refuses to endorse fairness cream
• Abhay Deol hits out at fairness creams
• Do skin fairness products actually work?
• It's official, mercury in fairness products is really bad for you!

Photo source: Getty images

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