What is anal bleaching, where can I buy creams and kits and which celebrities have done it? From Kourtney Kardashian to Sophie Kasaei
AN anal bleaching session may sound like something most people would choose to keep quiet, but scores of celebs have spoken out about their new-and-improved bums.
But exactly what is anal bleaching, and which are the best products to buy? Here's what you need to know...
What is anal bleaching?
Anal bleaching is the process of lightening the colour of the skin, not the hairs, in the bum region.
It was established for cosmetic reasons, to make the skin around the hole more uniform with the rest of your panty region.
After the rise of Brazilian waxes women, and some men, began to notice that their anuses had a darker hue.
If you have noticed this on yourself, it is very common - and completely normal.
Thanks to the likes of Kim Kardashian, we're becoming more and more obsessed with our rear ends.
Intimate whitening was once preferred by porn stars and strippers, but it's now entering the mainstream.
What are the risks of anal bleaching?
If done in a dirty spa or by an untrained professional, anal bleaching can cause herpes, scarring and infection.
It could also lead to strictures, which make the opening smaller and bowel movements difficult, or tears in the anal canal.
"It’s not the most gratifying treatment," New York Dermatologist Doris Day MD told .
"The darker pigmentation will always come back so it’s not permanent.
"And there’s also a chance of total depigmentation (the skin going completely white) or in some cases, because of how one’s skin reacts to the bleach, a darkening of the area."
Which celebrities have had anal bleaching?
The Geordie Shore cousins are now officially closer than ever, after Marnie Simpson was filmed DIY bleaching Sophie Kasai's bum.
While their former co-star Charlotte Crosby admitted she had the procedure done on Celebs Go Dating - much to the dismay of her hunky dinner companion Danny.
She explained: “It’s where you turn your bum hole white instead of brown.”
Bootilicious Kourtney Kardashian also confessed to getting the procedure on Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami.
And Sacha Baron Cohen braved the treatment while filming for spoof movie Bruno.
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Where can you get anal bleaching?
From Amazon to eBay, there are no shortage of online stores which will deliver anal bleaching creams to your UK home.
However, because of the risks mentioned above, we'd recommend not following Sophie's lead - and heading to a trained professional instead.
Some cosmetic surgeons even offer laser anal bleaching - which should lead to longer-lasting results.