So what's the deal with black people bleaching their skin?

Throughout 2012 we heard rumours about some black celebrities who'd bleached their skin.

In South Africa a study in the University of Cape Town identified that about 1 woman in every 3 bleaches their skin? What the fuck is happening?
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It's a sad thing that even in this day and age some black people can be so unhappy with their skin colour that they would go to the extremes of using potential cancer creating creams.

These creams have been known to cause blood cancers like leukemia, liver and kidney cancer and potentially a severe skin condition called ochronosis (which basically turns your skin purple, defeating the purpose of actually bleaching your skin).

Some celebrities suspected of skin bleaching:

Rihanna

Has she bleached or is the image on the right the result of make-up/lighting?

Vybz Kartel

Admitted skin bleaching, in fact is looking to launch his own skin bleaching products (the man looks dead).

Beyonce

Bleached skin? Or a photoshop for Loreal advertising?

Don't get me wrong, nearly everybody changes their natural appearance in some way, whether it's hitting the gym like a beast, putting on thick layers of make up, wearing padded bras or hair extensions, but isn't bleaching your skin a bit too far? I think so, especially with the associated risks with using the products. But then again, white folk be tanning all the time!

What do you think? Is skin bleaching too far?

~ Cee