JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE 118 APPENDI X 1: Questionnaire 1. Do you currently use bleaching creams? 1. Yes 2. No 2. If no, have you ever used bleaching creams before? 1. Yes 2. No If yes in questions 1 and/or 2, please answer the following questions (3–27) If no in questions 1 and 2, please answer questions 23–27 3. How did you obtain the cream? 1. Prescription 2. From the pharmacy without prescription 3. From herbal shops and open markets (nonmedical shops) 4. Beauty and cosmetic shops. 4. The cream you used: 1. Is it composed of a readymade drug at the pharmacy? 2. Mixture composed at the pharmacy 3. Mixture composed at herbal shops 4. Beauty product, nonmedical 5. The reason behind the use is: 1. To heal pigmented areas like freckles 2. Just to lighten the color of the skin 3. Both of the above reasons (1 & 2) 4. Others 6. Do you use bleaching creams during pregnancy? 1. Yes 2. No 7. Do you use bleaching creams during lactation? 1. Yes 2. No 8. How much do you pay monthly for the bleaching cream you use?...………SR 9. What areas do you apply the cream on? Please indicate by either Yes or No. A. Face 1. Yes 2. No B. Hands 1. Yes 2. No C. Arms 1. Yes 2. No D. Legs 1. Yes 2. No E. Stomach 1. Yes 2. No F. Chest 1. Yes 2. No G. Armpits 1. Yes 2. No H. Neck 1. Yes 2. No I. Forearm 1. Yes 2. No J. Feet 1. Yes 2. No K. Thighs 1. Yes 2. No L. Genitals 1. Yes 2. No M. Back 1. Yes 2. No N. Whole Body 1. Yes 2. No O. Elbows and knees 1. Yes 2. No 10. On average how many times do you use bleaching creams? 1. Once daily 2. Twice daily 3. Thrice daily 4. Not daily 5. Other, please specify ………………………………………… 11. What is the amount of cream you use monthly? ……………………….g

HEALTH KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE REGARDING BLEACHING AGENTS IN WEST SAUDI ARABIA 119 12. How old were you when you started using bleaching creams for the fi rst time? ……………………………..years 13. Do you consider the use of bleaching creams sold at herbal stores safe? 1. Agree strongly 2. Agree 3. Do not know 4. Disagree 5. Disagree strongly 14. Do you encourage others to use bleaching creams sold at herbal shops? 1. Agree strongly 2. Agree 3. Do not know 4. Disagree 5. Disagree strongly 15. Why do you use bleaching creams? You can choose more than one answer, please indicate by either Yes or No. A. To increase you beauty 1. Yes 2. No B. To increase your self-esteem 1. Yes 2. No C. To improve you appearance among your friends 1. Yes 2. No D. To increase your chances of fi nding a spouse (for single) 1. Yes 2. No E. To secure and stabilize your marriage (for married) 1. Yes 2. No F. To imply you descend from high class 1. Yes 2. No G. To increase your chances of fi nding a job (for unemployed) 1. Yes 2. No H. To stabilize your situation at your current job (for employed) 1. Yes 2. No I. To follow fashion 1. Yes 2. No J. To renew your look 1. Yes 2. No 16. Are you willing to use bleaching creams that give fast results even if its components are unknown? 1. Yes 2. No 17. How long have you been using bleaching creams continuously (nonstop)? ............................ months 18. What happens to your skin if you stop using the bleaching cream for a period longer than two weeks? A. It dries 1. Yes 2. No B. Develops a rash 1. Yes 2. No C. Returns to previous color 1. Yes 2. No D. Becomes darker than before you used the cream 1. Yes 2. No 19. Do you want the color of your skin to be lighter than its normal color? 1. Strongly agree 2. Agree 3. Do not know 4. Disagree 5. Strongly disagree 20. Do you think that over or misusing bleaching creams could harm your skin? 1. Yes 2. No 3. Do not know