A medical expert, Dr Chinonso Egemba, has said that users of skin-lightening creams, which contain steroids, are more likely to have severe illness or die from coronavirus disease.
Egemba, who is popularly known as ‘Aproko Doctor’ said Wednesday, that some bleaching creams and soaps contained steroids, which reduced body immunity.
He described the immune system, as the body’s defence force against disease-causing bacteria and viruses such as coronavirus and other organisms that humans touch, ingest and inhale everyday.
“If you are bleaching, stop it because it is reducing your immunity and people or patients with low immunity suffer more and may likely die from the virus.
“Steroids are basically anti-inflammatory drugs and inflammation is one way our bodies dispose off foreign substances. It could be via body swelling in form of boils or redness of the skin.
“So steroids reduce the body’s response to anything that could cause inflammation.
“Now, there are different types of bleaching creams and soaps but some particular types contain steroids and it can bleach the skin or cause skin lightening.
“When you use such cream or soap for a long time, it is not just on the surface, your skin absorbs the steroids in the cream and it reduces your body immunity,” he said. (NAN)
