I have had quite a few questions related to anal beaching lately, I know that it was referenced in Bridesmaids, and I’ve heard quite a few one liners about it, but to be honest with you, I didn’t really know much about the topic.  Sadly, I now feel like quite an expert on the topic!  And there are a lot more health issues related to this practice than I had any idea about.

What is Anal Bleaching all about?

It is when you literally bleach the skin around your anus to lighten the skin color so it is all uniform. The treatments are either done at a salon/spa (gel lightener and or laser treatments) or there are some at home treatment options (gel and cream lighteners). I bet your follow up thought is ‘why is this an issue’? Apparently this is a trend started by adult film stars, who noticed that the skin around their anus was a different color than the skin of their butt.  There is a reason that the skin is different colors, it is a different type of skin cells, and I think for eons no one has ever really noticed, but with the popularity of the Brazilian bikini wax, people are uncovering areas that previously were always covered! Here’s the rub: anal bleaching is temporary, and the creams work by decreasing the melanin in your skin, but as soon as that skin is exposed to UV light, it will become darker than before! So it truly is a temporary treatment, and I guess it depends on how important having one skin tone back there really is for you.

Are there any risks associated with it?

Yes! Many of the creams/gels that are used for skin lightening, were created for rapid skin lightening, meant for people with skin pigmentation issues that are usually in less sensitive areas of the body that might need to be lightened to neutralize skin tones.  When these products that are made for less sensitive areas are used in your genital areas, you can have a whole slew of reactions that you probably were not expecting:

-ochronosis: bluish/brown/black pigmentation that can occur (which kind of defeats the purple of bleaching in the first place, right?)

-skin irritation: burning, itchy, dry, peeling skin that is a reaction to the harsh chemicals in the lightening products, and direct laser pulses.

-scarring: due to severe reactions to the treatments, the tissue can become so enflamed and irritated that scar tissue builds up, especially with the laser treatments.

-infections: when reactions and skin irritation occurs, it opens up the tissues with little micro tears and puts you at risk from infection from your own bodily functions and also if the salon/spa you are getting your treatment from does not change out applicators or use fresh treatment creams/gels/etc between clients you are at risk of getting any infection that the person before you has!

-pain: this whole process can be really painful, especially if you have any of these reactions, and it may take a while to completely treat and for your skin to go back to normal. The lasers can cause major discomfort during the layering process and afterwards.

-anal fissures: breaks or tears of the skin in the anal canal, related to a reaction from the creams/gels, especially if applied directly over the anus. It’s almost like a paper cut, but given the area of the body its in, it is NOT comfortable, and can take a while to heal.

There seem to be an awful lot of side effects for a treatment that is strictly temporary, and can actually make the affected skin darker if and when it is exposed to UV light in the future, right?  Melanin that is in our skin is there for a reason, and help to protect us from skin cancer with UV exposure, so why do we want to get rid of it?  Plus, unless you are an adult film star, or lingerie model, is anyone really going to be looking at your anus and comparing skin tones?  I would hope not.  I’m not judging at all, I just think that there are ether ways to spend your time and money….that is one area you do not want to have an allergic reaction, irritation, scarring, etc!

Yours in Good Health

B