Tips For Keeping Skin of Color Healthy and Looking Great
COMMON SKIN CONCERNS FOR DARKER SKIN TYPES
Caring for skin of color requires an understanding of its unique characteristics and concerns. Rich in melanin, this skin type often presents specific challenges such as hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, and sensitivity. A tailored skincare routine that includes gentle cleansing, moisturizing with hydrating ingredients, and targeted treatments can help address these issues effectively.
TREATMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE AT skn DERMATOLOGY
Dark Spots
Dark spots have multiple different causes including sun damage, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and melasma. Skin of color is more prone to these common skin conditions.
Treatments for dark spots include procedures such as IPL, Microneedling and Peels.
OTC and Rx products can also help lighten these spots. These include:
SPF 30 or >
Hydroquinone
Cysteamine
Retinoids (tretinoin, adapalene, tazarotene or retinols)
Heliocare
Azelaic acid
Glycolic acid
Kojic acid
Vitamin C
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Following injury to the skin, darker skin types are at a higher risk for dark spots on the skin known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) and may last 6-8 months.
Common skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and burns often cause PIH.
Treatment of PIH starts with treatment of the underlying condition.
Fading the pigmentation can then be achieved with a combination of OTC and Rx topical products and treatments done in our office such as chemical peels and microneedling.
Melasma
Melasma is a pattern of irregular dark patches primarily on the face, often on the forehead, upper lip, and cheeks but may be on other sun-exposed areas as well.
Melasma is more common in women, with skin of color, with exposure to hormones, ie. on oral contraceptive pill, pregnant, or recently given birth.
Treatment is difficult and often requires multiple different approaches including daily sun protection with sunscreen and hats, Rx creams containing topical hydroquinone, OTC products, oral Rx and dietary supplements, and in-office treatments including peels, microneedeling, and lasers.
Be careful! Laser treatments can sometimes worsen melasma due to the light and heat.
Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a condition where depigmented (lighter) patches of skin form on various parts of the body.
The cause is unknown but thought to be an autoimmune and genetic condition.
While any skin tone can develop vitiligo, it is more noticeable in skin of color.
Treatment includes topical Rx medications and light therapy both prescribed by your dermatologist.
Ingrown Hair & Razor Burn
Folliculitis or ingrown hairs is a common concern in all skin types, but is much more common for men and women with darker skin types and curly hair.
When hairs regrow and get trapped beneath the skin they form red, irritated bumps. In darker skin types as these bumps heal they leave dark pigmented spots, in lighter skin types often red marks.
Prevention is the best treatment for folliculitis. By making changes to shaving habits, ingrown hairs may often be avoided or minimized.
Your dermatologist may treat folliculitis with oral and/or topical antibiotics, steroid creams, topical retinoids, or laser treatments.
TREATMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR PIGMENTATION AT SKN DERMATOLOGY
Microneedling for Melasma
Lasers are great for most pigment, however the heat they generate can potentially make melasma worse.
By contrast, microneedling mechanically breaks up the pigment and generates no such heat.
Through a series of clean, controlled micropunctures, microneedling can reach the deeper dermis that is affected by melasma. The healing mechanisms triggered essentially force the surrounding skin to make brand-new skin that has not yet been agitated by hormones or the sun.
The best results are seen when cosmeceutical grade skin lightening agents are applied post-procedure to penetrate into these microchannels.
Call today to schedule a consultation with our aestheticians, Ashli or Grace, to discuss treatment options for your melasma!
The Perfect Derma™ Peel
The Perfect Derma™ Peel is safe, effective medium depth peel for all skin types and ethnicities. This product is virtually painless, with no pre-peel skin preparation and little downtime. The Perfect Derma™ Peel is the only peel that includes the powerful antioxidant Glutathione, which lightens and brightens the skin, slows down the aging process and helps prevent wrinkles.
BENEFITS
Improve the overall clarity, tone and texture of the skin
Reduce or eliminate hyperpigmentation, sun damage and melasma
Improve acneic skin conditions and reduce acne scars
Stimulate the production of collagen, resulting in firmer, more youthful skin
Reduce the appearance of pore size
