Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The artificial depigmentation (DA) is a practice that aims to reduce the natural pigmentation of the skin by the use of depigmenting products (DP). In Burkina Faso, few studies have been made on the issue and the last date of 2003. The objective of the study is to realize an overview of the DA phenomenon in women population in Bobo-Dioulasso City. METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study held from April 16th to April 30th 2016 including 437 women aged from 13 to 55 years old. A multi-stage random sampling was realized A chi-square test was used to compare groups with significant threshold of 5%. RESULTS: The prevalence of the use of DP (67.28% with IC95 = [63.52 - 71.03]). The mean age of users was 27.5 years old; the typical profile was women from 30 to 35 years old (85.7%), with elementary study level, (73.47%), housewife’s (75.19%) and monogamous (71.98%). the products used was those made of hydroquinone (81.6%), EDTA (8.33%), kojic acid (4.86%), mixtures (11.12%) or unknown products (14.58%). The origin of the product was doubtful for almost all the cases (98.96%). The monthly mean cost of this practice for a single user is 1710 CFA. Complications were reported in 62.5% of users, and the most found was dyschromia (85.87%), acne (17.39%) and burns (10.32%). DISCUSSION: The DA is in great progress in Bobo-Dioulasso (2 out of 3 women) compared to half, thirteen years ago. The hydroquinone was markedly the most frequent DP while there was an apparent lack of corticosteroids and mercuries replaced by the new depigmenting agent such as EDTA and kojic acid. This result contrasted with the classic combination hydroquinone-dermocorticoid-mercuries reported by previous studies. CONCLUSION: The low-cost of DP could explain the magnitude of the artificial depigmentation phenomenon. Other studies should be conducted in order to establish with precision the composition of these products and their causality in the occurrence of common complications. Research in cosmetology should make it possible to provide women with safe products that respect their deep needs.
Highlights
The artificial depigmentation (DA) is a practice that aims to reduce the natural pigmentation of the skin by the use of depigmenting products (DP)
Among a total of 437 women included in the study, 294 were using a DP giving a prevalence of 67.28% (95IC = [63.52 - 71.03])
We can attest that the artificial depigmentation is in great progress in Bobo-Dioulasso (2 out of 3 women) compare to half, thirteen years ago
Summary
The artificial depigmentation (DA) is a practice that aims to reduce the natural pigmentation of the skin by the use of depigmenting products (DP). The hydroquinone was markedly the most frequent DP while there was an apparent lack of corticosteroids and mercuries replaced by the new depigmenting agent such as EDTA and kojic acid This result contrasted with the classic combination hydroquinone-dermocorticoïd-mercuries reported by previous studies. Artificial depigmentation (DA) named self-willed depigmentation or cosmetic depigmentation or color mimesis, can be defined as a social practice aimed to reduce the natural pigmentation of the skin by the use of depigmenting agents [1] [2]. Many studies related to this practice have been conducted throughout the word [2] [4] These studies emphasized that mostly sub-Saharan African women are involved in this phenomenon [4]. Another study conducted in 2003 by Traoré [1] reported prevalence of 39.5% in Ouagadougou and 49.2% in Bobo-Dioulasso, respectively
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