Jitrapee Buranasak. The whitening cream influences self and identity of female workers . Master's Degree(Medical and Health Social Sciences). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2006.
The whitening cream influences self and identity of female workers
Abstract:
This investigation was to study factory women’s whitening cosmetic consumption
behavior, the meaning of and self-identity of factory women whitening their faces in modern
women’s society, the health and life impacts after using whitening products and the self-promising of
before and after using whitening products. A qualitative research was conducted and 3 purposive
sites were selected in Nakhonchaisri District, Nakhonpathom Province. Primary survey was by
questionnaires, and later data collection was by in-depth interview. and observations. Content
analyses were employed and presented in a descriptive presentation with interoperations based on
concepts of the physical capital, consumption culture, identity building and concepts of gender.
It was found from the primary survey among 300 female workers that 240 workers or 80%
had experienced using whitening cream and only 60 workers or 20% had not. Among 240 workers,
there were 198 workers or 82.50% continuing to use it. 42 workers or 17.50% had stopped using it.
Most workers were 25-28 years, or by average 25.68 years, during the survey, most had senior
primary education. They mostly earned 175-184 Baht a day or 184.36 Baht on average. Most workers
were married and the domicile was mostly in the central region.
It was found from the study that they defined whiteness as cleanness, and purity, which
was entirely positive. Some defined it as freshness, brightness, shining, no darkness and no
swarthiness. Some defined beauty as whiteness, and a good shape. All were integral parts. In
addition, the reason why whiteness was considered beauty was because fair complexion was like a
high-class person. Most female workers used whitening cream to present themselves with a fair face,
beautiful, and bright. Having a fair face was forming an identity of modernity, a woman of new
generation with as in-trend fair face. It was also found that most samples defined , before using the
cream , that their faces as swarthy, and unfresh. Most continued using the whitening cream. After
using the cream they were pleased to have a fairer face and more self-confidence to meet people. So,
it made them decide to continue using the cream. The group that stopped using the cream was
disappointed of not having fairer faces as expected. They felt ashamed, and had no confidence when
being allergic. So, the samples decided to stop using whitening creams.
Most samples pointed out that bodies were changeable because of evolution and new
technology and adequate money to reshape their bodies. Samples needed to change their bodies
allowing the faces to be fair by applying whitening creams. They held the view that investment in
body capital allowed better job opportunities, as they required. Most samples commented that men
preferred beautiful women with fair faces. Samples needed fair faces to become beautiful and to
increase self-confidence rather than having a fair face to attract men. In addition, advertisements
affected their decision-making in using whitening creams because most samples believed in it and
craved the use of whitening creams as in the TV advertisements and wanted to a fair face, and
beauty as advertised.
It was further found that allergiies with the whitening creams among samples who had
stopped using the creams affected health physically and psychologically. Symptoms were burning
pains, and reddish swollen faces, while psychologically, they felt ashamed to face other eyes looking
at their mottled face and had to endure suffering by living with disfiguration for life.