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  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">mujast</journal-id>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="nlm-ta">MUJAST</journal-id>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title>Mountain Top University Journal of Applied Sciences and Technology</journal-title>
        <abbrev-journal-title>MUJAST</abbrev-journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn pub-type="epub">2736-2310</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>Mountain Top University</publisher-name>
        <publisher-loc>Prayer City, Ogun State, Nigeria</publisher-loc>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">LEGACY-5lvsuc</article-id>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.mtu/legacy-5lvsuc</article-id>
      <article-categories>
        <subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
          <subject>Research Article</subject>
        </subj-group>
      </article-categories>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Unveiling the Risks: Endocrine Disrupting Effects of Components in Skin Lightening Creams</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
      <contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes">
        <name>
          <surname>Ajayi</surname>
          <given-names>Ajayi</given-names>
        </name>
        <aff id="aff-1">Mountain Top University, Nigeria</aff>
        

      </contrib>
      <contrib contrib-type="author" >
        <name>
          <surname>Akerele</surname>
          <given-names>Olulope Olufemi* and</given-names>
        </name>
        <aff id="aff-2">Mountain Top University, Nigeria</aff>
        

      </contrib>
      <contrib contrib-type="author" >
        <name>
          <surname>Rita</surname>
          <given-names>Oluwakemi</given-names>
        </name>
        <aff id="aff-3">Mountain Top University, Nigeria</aff>
        

      </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <pub-date date-type="pub" publication-format="electronic">
        <day>05</day>
        <month>08</month>
        <year>2024</year>
      </pub-date>
      <volume>4</volume>
      <issue>1</issue>
      <permissions>
        <copyright-statement>© 2024 Mountain Top University. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0).</copyright-statement>
        <copyright-year>2024</copyright-year>
        <copyright-holder>Mountain Top University</copyright-holder>
        <ali:free_to_read/>
        <license xlink:href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">
          <ali:license_ref>https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</ali:license_ref>
          <license-p>This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.</license-p>
        </license>
      </permissions>
      <abstract>
        <p>&lt;p class=&quot;ql-align-justify&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: rgb(13, 13, 13);&quot;&gt;Skin lightening is a widespread cosmetic practice that involves the use of chemical compounds to alter skin tone, often with the aim of achieving a lighter complexion. Despite its popularity, there is growing concern about the potential health risks associated with skin bleaching products, particularly their effects on the endocrine system. This narrative article explores the complex relationship between skin bleaching components and their impact on endocrine function, shedding light on a critical yet often overlooked aspect of this controversial practice.&amp;nbsp;The findings in this study suggest that the endocrine disrupting effects of skin lightening components extend beyond localized skin reactions to systemic disturbances in hormone regulation. Therefore,&amp;nbsp;the use of skin lightening creams should be approached with caution. Regulatory measures are also urgently needed to restrict the use of harmful ingredients in cosmetic products and promote safer alternatives. Healthcare providers play a vital role in educating the public about the risks of skin lightening and advocating for stricter regulations to protect consumer health. Addressing the endocrine disrupting effects of skin bleaching components is crucial for safeguarding the wellbeing of individuals and communities worldwide.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group kwd-group-type="author">
        <kwd>&lt;p class=&quot;ql-align-justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em style=&quot;color: rgb(13, 13, 13);&quot;&gt;Endocrine disruptors, Skin bleaching, Hydroquinone, corticosteroids, alpha hydroxyl acids&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
  <body>
    <sec id="sec-1">
      <title>Introduction &amp; Full Text Notice</title>
      <p>The complete authoritative record and full scholarly content for this article is available in the archival PDF galley deposited at Mountain Top University Scholarly Repository.</p>
    </sec>
  </body>
  <back>
    <ref-list>
      <title>References</title>
      <p>Archived with full citation indexing at Mountain Top University Scholarly Publishing Network.</p>
    </ref-list>
  </back>
</article>