Explanation of the preference for lighter skin tones and lightening treatments.

Evolution and Meaning of Skin Colour

• Human skin color has evolved over time, with populations in equatorial zones developing more melanin to protect against ultraviolet radiation and those further from the equator evolving lighter pigmentation to aid in vitamin D synthesis.

• Over time, skin tone has been linked to opposites — fair and dark, good and bad — and these dualities became part of how communities organised themselves socially.

• In the Indian context, these ideas were reinforced by colonial rule and social hierarchies.

The Quiet Cost of Fairness

• While cultural beliefs sustain the demand for lighter skin, dermatologists are increasingly concerned with the health risks that follow.

• Prolonged use of topical corticosteroids can lead to thinning of the skin, acne, infections, and uneven pigmentation, sometimes worsening the very issues people are trying to treat.

• The growing trend of combination creams, which blend steroids with antifungals or bleaching agents, not only damage the skin but also promote resistance, especially to fungal treatments.

The Global Industry and Local Psychology

• Fairness continues to be marketed as desirable, often as a symbol of progress or modernity.

• In India, fairness is casually equated with success and desirability, and is internalised from a very young age, especially among girls.

• Dark skin is sometimes culturally coded as rugged, strong, or masculine, but this doesn’t offer immunity.

• Skin tone is not just cosmetic but also socially symbolic, becoming a way to navigate society.

Rethinking the Role of Medicine, Media, and Education

• As public concern around steroid misuse grows, stronger regulation is needed.

• Schools and institutions must challenge long-standing stereotypes about skin colour.

• Media, from cinema to social platforms, has a critical role to play.

• Anthropology offers a way forward by encouraging us to move beyond the binary of fair and dark.

• A new kind of “fairness” is emerging that prioritizes equity over complexion, dignity over perception, and truth over tradition.