CORRIE bosses are to air a shocking storyline which will see 14-year-old Asha Alahan bleach her skin to make it look whiter.

Asha — played by Tanisha Gorey, 16 — will buy an illegal bleaching cream  online after deciding she no longer wants to look Indian.

But the schoolgirl has no idea that she could be poisoning herself with chemicals within it.

The ITV soap’s harrowing plotline comes amid a rise in the number of British teens bleaching their skin with potentially harmful products.

Many refer to the process as “lightening” or “brightening”.

But experts warn that many of these creams work by destroying the skin’s natural defence to UV light — and they can cause severe blistering and burns in just one week.

Shockingly, long-term users may also face kidney and liver failure if the harsh chemicals move past the skin and into the bloodstream.

Skincare research scientist Sujata Jolly says: “There is no safe way to lighten your skin, no matter what you might be told or read on a bottle.

“You cannot go beyond what you are without risking your health.”

ITV, which is working closely with the British Skin Foundation on the shocking storyline, is hoping it will raise awareness of the dangers of bleaching creams. The storyline will begin in August.

‘IT'S NOT WORTH RISKING YOUR LIFE’

A show source told The Sun on Sunday: “In the coming months Asha will return from India and decide that she doesn’t want to be Indian any more.

“She begins bleaching her skin in secret with a cream she has brought home from India. She will then start buying it online. We will see her dealing with the negative effects of her choice as time goes on, though fans will have to wait to see how high a price she pays.”

The source added: “The Corrie bosses felt that this was a really important issue to highlight, as it is one that has become increasingly prominent.

“Many youngsters do resort to experimenting with these creams, without being aware of the risks involved.

“Not all the creams on offer are illegal, but it is clear that some are. And the message we want to get across — particularly to young fans who relate to Asha — is that it is not worth risking your life for lighter skin.”

Two of the most harmful ingredients often used in bleach creams — hydroquinone and mercury — have been banned in the UK since 2001.

They have been linked to permanent skin damage, foetal damage and liver and kidney failure if used over a prolonged period.

Safi George, who used illegal creams for ten years, has told how she nearly paid for her addiction with her life.

CONFINED TO BED FOR SIX WEEKS

Safi, originally from Sierra Leone, spent more than £200 a week on whitening products to alter her skin tone from black to white.

But she eventually had to stay in hospital after her sister Tutu — shocked by the blisters on Safi’s hands and stomach — insisted she went to A&E. Doctors found Safi had  a severe infection from her wounds, and insisted she remain in hospital for a week on antibiotics.

She was confined to bed for a further six weeks.

She was so ashamed of her habit she told pals that her injuries were caused by her accidentally scalding herself.

Speaking last year, Safi, who lives in Surrey Quays, South East London, said: “It’s like taking drugs, it’s not easy to stop. I was so embarrassed to go to the GP.

“They were going to ask: ‘How did you get this?’”

Safi added: “When I went into hospital I couldn’t tell anyone. I was ashamed to say it was because of a bleaching cream. If people asked, I told them I was pouring a kettle and it dropped, and that’s how I got the scars.

“You feel embarrassed to ask for help. But without help, I would have lost my life.”

Despite the terrifying effects of creams containing mercury and hydroquinone, they are legally produced outside the UK and so remain relatively easy to access.

And bottles containing the ingredients are often mislabelled, so users who purchase them are in the dark about their exact contents.

‘MY SKIN WAS BUBBLING UP’

Other lightening agents, such as kojic acid, remain legal in the UK — despite being banned in Switzerland and Japan because of a potential link to skin cancer.

And products containing corticosteroids, which also increase the risk of getting skin cancer, are available on prescription.

Mariam Omotunde, 23, who is from Nigeria, but now lives in Plumstead, South East London, dabbled with illegal creams from the age of 12.

She said: “I saved up £20 and went to my local hair shop, and they had these products.

“I picked up the toning creams, because bleaching sounds a bit harsh.

“I didn’t look at the ingredients, and just looked at the picture – if the woman was desirable, that was the colour I wanted to attain.”

Arlene Dihoulou, 23 — who first used a lightening cream aged 15 — told how picking up a 500ml bottle for £12 was as easy as buying a pint of milk.

Arlene’s family are from the Congo, but she now lives in Forest Hill, South London.

'HATED HOW I LOOKED'

She said: “If I walked down my local high street, every beauty shop would sell a skin-lightening cream.

“You just have to ask for the one you want.

“Others are easy to find online. I grew up watching my mum and auntie use it, and I was fascinated by it. I’d always look at it in the cupboard.

“The first time I bought a lightening cream, I was having a tough time. I was always made to feel I’d be prettier if my skin was lighter.

“I remember a boy saying to me, ‘Why would I want to date someone I can’t see in the dark?’ I decided to try a cream — called Caro — which I saw for sale in a beauty shop.

“I believe the product I used contained hydroquinone. As soon as I used it, it was like my skin was bubbling up. It felt like all of the life was being burned out of my skin.

“I  decided it wasn’t worth it. I felt like I was causing too much damage. Today I love my skin and think it’s heartbreaking that, at that point, I hated how I looked enough to try it.”

Both women now campaign against the use of banned skin-whitening creams and fronted a BBC Stories investigation into the issue last year.

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Skin expert Jolly, who has been campaigning against dangerous skin-lightening creams for two decades, has seen a big increase in people being harmed by creams in recent years.

She says:  “This problem is getting worse. I am now contacted every week by people who have badly damaged their skin by using bleaching creams.

“Many are in their 20s and for some of them, the damage can be corrected. But others have skin that is beyond repair, broken and bleeding.

“Others, who I cannot treat, are those with problems such as kidney or liver failure.

“Hopefully by shining a light on this issue, Coronation Street will help raise awareness and encourage young people to think more carefully before going down this path.”

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