Summer heat no match for bleachers

Dressed in a black denim suit, which would naturally draw heat from the scorching overhead sun, Tash appeared unbothered by the searing temperature as she goes about her business in the downtown Kingston market district.

A market vendor busy on the hustle, Tash, like so many bleachers in the capital city, is dressed as if feeling the effects of a snow storm. She wears a scarf around her head and neck, exposing only her eyes, multi-coloured socks that are pulled up over the foot of her pants, and a pair of gloves. This is despite it being midday.

"The heat nuh really bother me because mi use to it," said the 20-something-year-old who views the hot days as a blessing.

Why?

"The heat kinda good fi we because it make we skin come quicker and less money to buy bleaching cream because trust mi, bleaching expensive," Tash said.

Her 'skin come quicker' comment refers to a shortening of the time it takes for a person with darker skin to achieve a generally paler skin tone.

Michelle is another skin bleacher who was spotted in the market district. Dressed in a dark track suit and a broad-rimmed hat, she said that the heat has been almost unbearable. However, she is not concerned about the likelihood of suffering the adverse effects from sun-bleaching during these torrid times.

"Mi wear black because it make mi sweat. This week, especially, is like di sun stand up a grung beside we. A over nine years mi a rub suh mi use to it," she said.

For Michelle, enduring the heat is a price she is willing to pay for lighter skin tone.

"Put it this way, the same way we braid we hair tight and know say fi all a week we a guh sleep uncomfortable, a di same ting wid bleaching. We nah guh stay in the sun forever, and at the end of the day, when we see how we glow up, we a guh happy," she said.

Doctors have warned about the potential impact of persons pursuing lighter skin through bleaching. In fact, clinicians have agreed that lightening creams could cause skin diseases and even cancer.

General practitioner Dr Omar Jackson said that the production of melanin, which gives the skin its colour, is halted by skin bleaching. He said that melanin helps protect the skin from harmful UV rays from the sun, and thus people who engage in skin bleaching will be at a greater risk of developing certain skin cancers.

"The UV light will damage their skin more because the melanin is bleached out and the purpose of the melanin is to protect one's skin. Therefore, you can look out in the future for a higher prevalence of skin cancer," he said.

He stated that a skin bleacher could protect their skin from the sun by using wearing protective clothing, preferably made from cotton. He also said they can use hats and umbrellas for protection.

The Earth on Tuesday warmed to the highest temperature ever recorded. In Jamaica, the Meteorological Service has said Jamaicans should brace for warmer temperatures into August, with at least 15 to 20 heatwave days through to the end of that month.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness advised members of the public that excessive heat stress is harmful to health and is potentially fatal.