The Today Show reported on the prevalence of skin whitening procedures in the US and around the world on Wednesday. Sparked by the appearance of baseball star, Sammy Sosa, last week with markedly lighter skin, the media has been buzzing about how and why some people lighten their skin.

Skin lightening is an international billion-dollar business that caters to millions of people around the world. There are dozens of techniques to lighten skin, including laser treatment, bleaching, skin creams, and chemical peels. Some of these methods involve dangerous ingredients including mercury.