A Comparison of Skin Care Attitudes Between Eastern and Western Cultures

Abstract

The societal definition of beauty is developed by entire cultures over time and carried out by future generations. Beauty encompasses fashion, make-up, hair, body type, and even skin color. In Western society tanned skin is considered beautiful, while Eastern culture sees pale skin as the height of beauty. Both groups have tried at length to alter their natural skin color, unfortunately not all popular methods are safe. People from the Western culture are spending more and more time out in the sun and at tanning salons, despite being aware of the dangers of ultraviolet radiation. This has been causing arise in melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, despite earlier detection rates. People from Eastern society are using skin whitening creams in an attempt to achieve a skin color whiter than their own. Not only does white cream hide any skin problems, but also some of these products contain poisonous ingredients like lead, mercury, and bismuth. With all this knowledge, the products are still popular. Overall, a society's conception of beauty seems to be more important than scientific fact and heath statistics in today's modern world.