Bleaching has been an issue dominating the media of late. While some detest it, others feel comfortable and will go any length to look lighter.

Irene Major, a Cameroonian and former model is one of such who feel comfortable changing from their original dark skin colour to a light one.

The wealthy woman who is married to Canadian oil tycoon, Sam Malin admitted in an interview with UK’S Daily Mail online that she uses skin-lightening creams to change the colour of her complexion. She said that even though people frown on it, she feels pretty when her skin is light.

“When my skin is lighter, I just feel prettier. It’s a taboo subject, and people get judgemental about it, but that’s how I feel”, the mother of four said.

According to the former model, she has spent lavishly just to get the skin colour she desires; from Crème de la Mer moisturizers to the most exclusive Harley Street dermatologists.

After an outrage with some accusing the sale of a whitening skin product as encouraging racist ideals, Irene 34, who lives with her husband and four children in a Kent mansion, maintained that the pressure on women in some communities to use such products is irresistible.

Irene also mentioned that the process has been part of her growing up to which her sister, Elsa agreed saying that it still influences African girls. She further said since there the African skin ranges from dark charcoal to a lighter version, one grows up knowing that the lighter ladies are the prettier ones since.

Elsa explained it this way, “Being lighter shows you belong to a different place on the social ladder. All the rich, successful black African men marry either a white or a very light-skinned girl because they too grew up thinking that the lighter is the most pretty. It doesn’t matter how dark a man is, of course the pressure is all on women”.