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Updated: Mar 27, 2026
Quantification of Hypopigmentation Activity In Vitro
Published on: March 6, 2019
Systemic complications during voluntary cosmetic depigmentation among women in Togo: A case-control study
A-S Akakpo1, A Mouhari-Toure2, B Saka1
1Department of dermatology and venereology, University of Lomé, Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital, BP 81056, 1, rue de l'Hôpital, Lomé, Togo.
Objective:
The aim of our study was to document the systemic complications of skin bleaching among women in Togo.
Methods:
This was a case-control study conducted between December 2009 and December 2013. Cases comprised of women using skin-bleaching products for at least 6 months and age-matched with non-users (±3 years).
Results:
We recruited a total of 150 women using skin-bleaching and matched them with 300 controls. Univariate analysis revealed a correlation between systolic hypertension (OR=2.56; 95% CI: 1.68-3.92), diastolic hypertension (OR=1.89; 95% CI: 1.17-3.05), hyperglycaemia (OR=1.5; 95% CI: 1.2-9, 65) and obesity (OR=1.68; 95% CI: 1.08-2.62) with the use of skin-bleaching products. Multivariate analysis revealed a correlation between skin bleaching and both systolic hypertension (OR=3.94; 95% CI: 1.59-3.75) and obesity (OR=2.88; 95% CI: 1.23-5.69).
Conclusion:
The results of our study show the existence of a correlation between voluntary cosmetic depigmentation, hypertension and obesity in Togo.
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