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

JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE 120 21. Do you think that overusing bleaching creams could harm your body and health, e.g. diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, or decreased kidney function? 1. Yes 2. No 3. Do not know 22. In your opinion, which of the following is the most harmful chemical to human health, which could be one of the components of bleaching creams? 1. Cortisone 2. Fruit acids or Malic acid 3. Salicylic Acid 4. Hydroquinone 5. Mercury 6. Do not know Personal Information 23. Age …………………………………. 24. Marital status 1. Single 2. Married 3. Divorced 4. Widow 5. Separated 25. Educational Level 1. Illiterate 2. High school or lower 3. University or higher 26. Occupation 1. Student 2. Unemployed 3. Home maker 4. Employed 5. Other, please specify…………………………………… 27. Monthly average household income 1. Less than 2,000 Riyals 2. 2,000 Riyals to 5,000 Riyals 3. 5,001 Riyals to 10,000 Riyals 4. 10,001 Riyals to 20,000 Riyals 5. More than 20,000 Riyals