Pakistan has a colonial hangover in every walk of life and our social living is no different. Colorism exists in all families in Pakistan and whether one acknowledges or not, there is a bias against brown skin in a country where an average person is brown. This comes from the complex that was fostered when the British ruled over the sub-continent and white skin was superior to brown skin.
Till today, we see people especially young girls getting criticized for being brown. They are never taught how beautiful they naturally are or how good they look in their skin. Thus with the increase in aesthetic procedures in the country, many people are opting for whitening treatments. Many of our celebrities have become really light-skinned over the years.
Renowned dermatologist Dr Nada Hasan Syed talked about the increasing trend of mothers getting their 12-13 year old daughters whitening injections as they were being bullied for their skin colour. Dr Nada said that those little girls as well as their mothers need proper therapy. Many technicians are also doing aesthetic procedures in Pakistan and at times they will administer these injections to young children which can cause kidney or liver failure.
Here is what she shared on Imran Noshad’s podcast:
This is what people had to say about the revelation: