Fans are speculating on social media that megastar Beyonce is lightening her skin after recent photos show her skin looking unusually whiter than normal.
Last weekend, the 42-year-old diva lit up the red carpet for the American premiere of Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.
She wore platinum blonde locks and a silver dress, but social media users were more attracted to her skin tone. Fans on Twitter wondered if the megastar has lightened her skin.
User @LibraGoddess106 said: ‘Did she bleach her skin? She’s not that light.’
@OlympusPlatinum said: ‘Who is this white woman?’ Another user commented: ‘So she’s not black anymore.’
It is unclear whether Beyonce’s skin tone is a result of photo editing or lighting products.
Megastar Beyonce stepped onto the red carpet last weekend with platinum locks and a silver dress. Fans speculated that she is whitening her skin
In older images, such as this one from 2001, Beyoncé’s skin tone appears darker
But the images have prompted stark warnings from health experts – who have raised serious concerns about celebrities ‘encouraging’ the treatment.
Dr. Deetej Singh, dermatologist and founder of Sandia Dermatology in Albuquerque, New Mexico, told DailyMail.com that “messing with Mother Nature” and skin lightening can have lasting health consequences, such as skin inflammation, discoloration and even organ failure.
Skin whitening involves rubbing products onto the skin, such as creams and lotions reduce melanin, the pigment that gives color to hair, eyes and skin.
People with darker skin have more melanin, although hormones and sunlight can also affect melanin production.
The treatment also aims to minimize dark spots, reduce acne scars and even out skin tone.
In 2021, fans criticized an ad campaign Beyonce and husband Jay-Z did with Tiffany and Co that made her skin look lighter.
In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deemed over-the-counter skin whitening products unsafe for use in humans due to the ingredient hydroquinone, which has been shown to cause skin discoloration, rashes, and swelling of the face.
Excessive amounts of hydroquinone can lead to exogenous ochronosis, a condition that results in blue-black skin pigmentation.
Several products also contain mercury. Mercury-laced lightening products seep through the skin into the bloodstream, where the heavy metals block melanin production.
These products have been linked to organ damage, rashes, infections, coma and death.
It’s unclear if Beyonce actually uses skin-lightening treatments or if her lighter skin tone is due to photo editing
‘[Over-the-counter] treatments are highly unregulated,” Dr Singh said. This means companies can sell products with harmful ingredients without labeling them or using unfamiliar names like “calomel” and “mercurio” for mercury.
Dr. Singh said this can be dangerous for consumers because they don’t know what they are putting into their bodies.
Last year, health officials sounded the alarm over skin-lightening creams containing mercury after a Minnesota mother went partially blind.
An official report found that the unnamed patient had consumed certain home-bought and imported products with concentrations 18,000 times higher than the safe level – even though this was not stated on the labels.
In a Study from 2014 of the 549 skin-lightening products found online and in stores, 12 percent contained mercury. About half of the products came from American stores.
Symptoms of mercury poisoning may include poor peripheral vision, pins and needles, lack of coordination, poor speech or hearing, and muscle weakness.
Skin bleaching has also been linked to skin inflammation, also called dermatitis. Symptoms include skin redness, blisters, skin ulcers, hives, dry skin, swelling, itching and burning sensation.
It is not the first time that Beyonce has been accused of ‘money laundering’.
In 2021, the star and her husband, rapper Jay-Z, were featured in a luxury jewelry ad campaign (above). Fans accused the ad of lightening her skin tone and sending a “worrying message” to fans.
In 2008, Beyonce faced controversy when her skin looked lighter in an ad for L’Oréal.
And in 2012, a photo used to promote her album 4, released in 2011, emerged in which the megastar appeared much paler than her usual tone – again sparking claims that skin-lightening filters were used.
Dr. Gendai Echezona, an anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist in Connecticut, told DailyMail.com, “If you want to even out your skin tone, a trusted health care provider can help you with safe treatments — but that’s very different from lightening it.”
A representative for Beyoncé has been contacted for comment.