- Title: NIGERIA: Nigerian women embrace new beauty trend -- 'pink' lips
- Date: 27th June 2014
- Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BEAUTICIANS WORKING ON CLIENTS IN SALON BEAUTY PRODUCT ON DISPLAY VARIOUS OF BEAUTICIAN, EHIS COLOURING OLUWANIFEMI'S LIPS WITH A TATTOO MACHINE (SOUNDBITE) (English) EHIS, BEAUTICIAN, SAYING: "Nigerian weather is very harsh, you know there are some people, they born them with red or pink lips but due to the harsh weather you see their lips will become black so that's why we have to maintain the lips from sun, from the harsh weather so that's the reason why we use that lips band on the lips." MORE OF EHIS PAINTING OLUWANIFEMI'S LIPS (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLUWANIFEMI, PINK LIPS CLIENT SAYING: "When the guy was doing it, it was painful so I had to just bear the pain and I can't as in it bring a lot of spit to my mouth to the extent that I feel a lot of pain, I can't shake my head, he asked me not to shake my head, so because my lips was black, I came here to do pink lips, he asked me to bring 3,000 naira and then I said I don't have 3,000 naira, I have 2,500, he asked me to bring it that he will do it for me." PEOPLE SEATED / WALKING IN GRANDVILLE MEDICAL AND LASER CLINIC CLOSE UP OF BANNER READING: "GRANDVILLE MEDICAL AND LASER" VARIOUS OF ARONMOLATE AYOBAMI, DERMATOLOGIST, WORKING IN HIS OFFICE CLOSE UP OF BEAUTY PRODUCT ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARONMOLATE AYOBAMI, DERMATOLOGIST SAYING: "You can imagine someone using a needle that goes inside the ink on the body, ink and on the body, you understand, he only sterilised the needle but he doesn't sterilise the product he's using so invariably if the last client has HIV virus, and he has put the needle inside the ink, invariably, he has gotten some of the exchange product of the former client inside the same ink he or she is using so when the next client comes in, the same thing happens, you go, so invariably, there could be some infection that could be transmitted." STREET SCENES (SOUNDBITE) (English) ESTHER, LAGOS RESIDENT SAYING: "I've heard about it, I won't for any reason, I like the way I was made, perfect." (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVIS XPLICIT, LAGOS RESIDENT SAYING: "Sometimes, I'll just give it a try you know because you know the pink lips actually you know gives you some sense of attraction and all that so that's why I really like it." DAKAR, SENEGAL (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BILLBOARD ADVERTISING SKIN LIGHTENING PRODUCTS ON ROADSIDE LAGOS, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF BEAUTY PRODUCTS STORE VARIOUS OF BEAUTY PRODUCTS INCLUDING SKIN LIGHTENING LOTIONS AND CREAMS ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) IKECHUKWU ONYEIGBO, SALES PERSON SAYING: "Many men are using the cream very well, in fact I have a lot of customers bringing money more than the women, I'm mixing cream and it is bringing in a lot of money." STREET SCENES
- Embargoed: 12th July 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Senegal
- Country: Senegal
- Topics: Health
- Reuters ID: LVA6DVBFSZMW0MRC08OY1I1DWDZ3
- Story Text: At a salon in downtown Lagos, 33-year-old beautician, Ehis is working on his latest client. His specialty is a new trend called 'pink' lips.
Today, Oluwanifemi, a young Lagos resident wants to alter the colour of her lips. Ehis begins by dipping a tattoo machine into a red coloured dye. Other clients prefer pink dye hence the name 'pink' lips.
He spreads the dye over Oluwanifemi's lips, a painstakingly slow process that takes about two hours.
Ehis says the growing popularity of 'pink' lips has to do with the high temperatures in Lagos.
"Nigerian weather is very harsh, you know there are some people, they born them with red or pink lips but due to the harsh weather you see their lips will become black so that's why we have to maintain the lips from sun, from the harsh weather so that's the reason why we use that lips band on the lips," said Ehis.
But 'pink' lips can be rather expensive. Ehis's salon is more affordable for young women like Oluwanifemi. She paid about 2,500 Naira or about 15 U.S. dollars.
The 'pink' lips last a minimum of six months if properly maintained with lip balm and sunscreen.
Oluwanifemi, resident in Lagos says although the process is quite painful, she is grateful Ehis got it done for a lesser amount than his usual fee. Although happy with the result, Oluwanifemi says the procedure was rather painful.
"When the guy was doing it, it was painful so I had to just bear the pain and I can't as in it bring a lot of spit to my mouth to the extent that I feel a lot of pain, I can't shake my head, he asked me not to shake my head, so because my lips was black, I came here to do pink lips, he asked me to bring 3,000 naira and then I said I don't have 3,000 naira, I have 2,500, he asked me to bring it that he will do it for me," said Oluwanifemi.
Industry professionals, however, warn there are considerable risks. Concern has been raised about the safety of the practice particularly in the hundreds of salons scattered throughout the city, that now offer the service.
Aronmolate Ayobami is a clinical dermatologist.
"You can imagine someone using a needle that goes inside the ink on the body, ink and on the body, you understand, he only sterilised the needle but he doesn't sterilise the product he's using so invariably if the last client has HIV virus, and he has put the needle inside the ink, invariably, he has gotten some of the exchange product of the former client inside the same ink he or she is using so when the next client comes in, the same thing happens, you go, so invariably, there could be some infection that could be transmitted," Ayobami.
But opinions are mixed among residents of Nigeria's commercial capital. Some women are opposed to beauty trends like 'pink' lips.
"I've heard about it, I won't for any reason, I like the way I was made, perfect," said Esther, a Lagos resident.
"Sometimes, I'll just give it a try you know because you know the pink lips actually you know gives you some sense of attraction and all that so that's why I really like it," Davis Xplicit, another Lagos resident Pink lips is not the only beauty trend that Nigerians have taken to. In the past decade across Nigeria, the use of skin lightening products has become a fever that so many people have caught.
But 'pink' lips is not the only fashionable beauty trend in Lagos. Although, a common practice among dark skinned people in many parts of the world, skin lightening is becoming increasingly popular.
The products used, however, contain hydroquinone and mercury, both powerful toxins.
The practice has been linked to side effects ranging from excessive darkening of the skin on the finger joints, atrophy of the skin, stretch marks and infections to system-wide health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure.
But it's not only women who use the products. Men too are buying them. They range from 200 naira to 18,000 naira (1 to 111 U.S. dollars).
"Many men are using the cream very well, in fact I have a lot of customers bringing money more than the women, I'm mixing cream and it is bringing in a lot of money," said Ikechukwu Onyeigbo, a sales person at a beauty products store.
While some countries have passed legislation banning the import and sale of skin lightening products, many of the products can still be found on the shelves of beauty shops and markets across Africa.
In Nigeria, it is also still unclear what the real impact of the products used in the creation of 'pink' lips could be. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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