'People are generally obsessed with a thing which they adore but do not have,' Dhir added.

Markets too are loaded with fairness creams that promise to turn your complexion fair.

Psychiatrist Sanjay Chugh agrees and says the craze for fair skin has been aggressively marketed.

'Over the years many Indians have been programmed to equate fair skin with beauty, success and happiness. This craze for white skin has been aggressively marketed. In advertisements, it is always shown that in order to be successful, liked and approved by others, one needs to have fair skin,' Chugh told IANS.

'Unfortunately, people are only concerned about surface level beauty and pay little attention to a person's character, intelligence and other essential personality traits that make people complete as individuals,' he added.

Dhir says he receives queries from around five to eight women every week who want to become 'fair'.

Is it really possible to become fair?

'Well, all these fairness creams normally have sunscreens that protect your skin from harsh ultraviolet rays. But they can't make you fair just like that. Even what we promise is that with chemical peels skin can become fairer and even toned to the extent of non sun-exposed skin,' Dhir said.

'But one can't achieve impossible results like becoming fair like foreigners,' he added.

(Shilpa Raina can be contacted at shilpa.r@ians.in)