[Pandalao and skin whitening in Mayotte].

Introduction: Skin whitening (SW) is very common in dark-skinned populations and the practice is often named after a popular local brand of product and such is the case in Mayotte where this practice is called "pandalao".

Patients And Methods: We carried out a descriptive epidemiological study in a sample of black Mahoran women aged 15 and over. The survey comprised a questionnaire completed by 163 women between 12 November 2007 and 24 January 2008.