Skin-whitening products thrive here too, says Dr. Sejal Shah.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: A study conducted by New York-based dermatologist Dr. Sejal K. Shah seems to confirm what many have thought for years: the vast majority of Indian Americans have an aesthetic preference for lighter skinned people, considering those with darker skin to be less attractive.
Shah, a young doctor at the St. Luke’s and Roosevelt (SLR) Hospital in New York City, conducted the study along with colleague Dr. Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH, who is the director of SLR’s Skin of Color Center. The two conducted a survey of 190 individuals, who they solicited at temples and local cultural events, and asked them a series of anonymous questions.
The results found that 15% of the participants – or 1 out of every 7 – has used some sort of skin-whitening or bleaching product because they want to make themselves look more beautiful. Another alarming finding of the study was that south Asians in general have a very low understanding of the risks of skin cancer; a mere 26% of those surveyed said that they regularly used sunscreen and protected themselves from the sun; 46% say that only those with darker skin are at severe risk for skin cancer; and only 64% said they knew that exposure to the sun was a factor in causing skin cancer.
Shah blames pop culture for most of the misunderstanding, especially for the biases Indian Americans have towards lighter skinned people, saying that a quick look at the most popular Bollywood actors and the majority of fashion and clothing ads will almost always feature light skinned men and women.
The study, which is currently being submitted to peer review scientific journals for publication, has come about at a time when India’s supposed preference for light skin has come under the microscope after the victory of relatively dark skinned Miss America Nina Davuluri earlier this year. While many in the US lauded the fact that an Indian had won the prestigious beauty pageant, many in the US and in India were quick to note that had Davuluri been in an Indian-only pageant or a pageant in India, she likely would not have been victorious.
In regards to the skin cancer misconceptions, Shah admitted to there being some truth in the fact that darker skinned individuals possess less risk of getting the disease, due to the fact that their skin cells have more melanin and therefore are slightly better protected against the harmfulness of the sun’s radiation. But the protection they get is minimal, and it is still very important for south Asians of all skin tones to protect themselves with sunscreen.
Shah earned her undergraduate degree summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama, and then went on to her post-graduate studies at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. She did an internal medicine internship, fellowship, and residency at SLR, and was chief resident at the Skin of Color Center during her senior year. She is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Society for Dermatological Surgery, and the Women’s Dermatologic Society, among others.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com