Epidemiological and Clinical Aspects of Skin Bleaching in Secondary School in Bohicon, Benin

Skin bleaching is a public health problem in West Africa most studied in general population. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to evaluate the prevalence of the phenomenon in secondary schools in central Benin. The prevalence of voluntary depigmentation (VD) was 36.6%. The sex ratio was 0.49. Gender was statistically associated with VD (p value < 0.000). Bleaching products used were often hydroquinone (42.2%), and corticosteroid (22.7%). The mean duration of the practice was 20 months. Products were applied over all body twice a day in most students. The main dermatological complications of the practice were discoloration (32.2%), stretch marks (20%), acne (18.5%), and fungal infections (13.1%). Parents funded and chose the bleaching products in most cases. This was the first survey conducted in secondary schools in West Africa targeted voluntary depigmentation. The high prevalence of the practice raises some questions, among them the core values of West African societies.