South African influencer and software developer Masheane Sefuthi has opened up about his controversial skin-lightening journey, revealing that he once used household cleaning bleach on his skin despite warnings from his mother.
Speaking during an interview on BBC Africa hosted by Charles Gitonga, Sefuthi discussed the motivations behind his decision and the dangerous methods he experimented with while trying to lighten his complexion.
According to him, the process began in 2016 after he became curious about the effects of hydrogen peroxide on white towels and teeth.
He explained that after noticing how the substance could lighten household items, he started wondering whether it could have the same effect on human skin.
He said: “I used household cleaning bleach to bleach my skin, my mum told me to stop but I didn’t listen.”
According to him, he carried out research before trying it and even consulted artificial intelligence tools for guidance on how to apply the substance while protecting his skin.
He explained that one of the recommendations he received was to constantly moisturize his skin during the process.
He also revealed that prolonged use of the chemical caused visible physical changes, including turning parts of his body hair blonde.
During the discussion, a public health advocate warned against the growing use of skin-lightening products and chemicals across Africa.
She explained that many bleaching substances contain dangerous ingredients and stressed that there are no completely safe skin-lightening products because of the harsh chemicals involved.
