Common Skin Conditions in Black Skin

January 31, 2018//-Skin is so various when it comes to colors and types, from the beautiful dark brown to the amazing pale ivory and so many shades in between.

Unfortunately, skin problems are typically all the same therefore most skin conditions may happen in all races and all skin types.

Nevertheless, some skin conditions seem to be more common to the dark skin or to be more severe in the case of dark skin. Additionally, many treatments for regular skin conditions may actually cause other problems in the case of dark skin.

In order to know how to take care of your face and body, it’s fundamental that you get to know one or two things about the biology of dark skin.

The basics on dark skin

The melanocytes refer to the color of all skin stems from cells and they’re the one producing melanosomes as they’re all packed with the natural chemical melanin.

What we’ve learned from research so far is that all people have pretty much the same number of melanocytes in skin tissues, no matter the color of the skin. What separates us from each other is the size and the distribution of the melanosomes. The larger and more they are, the darker your skin is. You can navigate here for more about Lasting Impression Medical Spa.

Melanin in the skin is responsible for absorbing and scattering energy from the UV light, therefore a dark complexion is going to lower the risk for sun damage, which is the main cause for skin aging and skin cancer formation. Aging is a process that can be slowed down by a healthy lifestyle, proper diet, and the proper skin products. There are tons of products that can help in lessening the development of pigmentation and wrinkles. The latest anti-aging ingredient is NMN powder that can be found in so many of the best anti-aging products like NMN bulk powder.

The chances for dark skin to develop pigmentation issues are quite high and even a minor skin injury (a bug bite) may cause a slight change in skin pigment, offering the dark spots (hyperpigmentation) the opportunity to happen. Most girls freak out when they hear the words Brazilian wax. This is mostly because it is associated with pain or discomfort and because of the actual procedure itself, which kind of exposes your most private parts to a complete stranger. Anyways, this post is for those of you who haven’t got a Brazilian wax before, or who don’t know what a Brazilian wax is. So, to keep it short and easy a Brazilian wax is the process of waxing off all your pubic hair, back and front. And by all I mean all. A Brazilian wax is different from a bikini wax or a French wax which takes off only the sides around your bikini line. Brazilian wax is a very good alternative to shaving. Everybody hates shaving, especially in that area, so this is one good reason. Another benefit is that it lasts a lot longer. This is because the hair is removed from the follicle (or the root) instead of being cut at the skin level. A Brazilian can last as long as 6 weeks, so there you have it. You only need to take four or five of them during the summer. You will get the best review of the what is a Brazilian wax here.

At the salon, your esthetician will do a quick overview of the whole process if you ask her to. You don’t need to feel embarrassed or anything, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. After you met the esthetician you will have to remove your clothes from the waist down and lay on a bed.

By the way, before getting a Brazilian wax you should trim your pubic hair so that it won’t be longer than half an inch. Typically, a length between a quarter of an inch and half in inch is fine. If you haven’t done it they can do it for you before the Brazilian. This will reduce the pain.

Now, when it comes to the waxing itself, different salons do different things. Some use hard wax, which can be pulled off without using strips, some use regular wax or strip wax. Both methods are fine, except that when removing the hair from more sensitive areas it is recommended to use hard wax.

After the waxing is done, some estheticians will use a tweezers to remove any remaining hair, some don’t. Again, it varies from place to place, some do it some don’t. Also, after the process is done some estheticians will apply baby powder to the waxed area to prevent redness or swelling.

If you’re not using right the cosmetic treatment, you may also put yourself at risk for injuring your skin. A dermabrasion, a laser surgery or a wrinkle-filling injection may be the main cause for some severe pigmentation problems. If you’re someone who interested in using microneedling or dermabrasion for your skin treatments, check out https://www.nubobeauty.com/best-derma-rollers/.

Let’s go over the common skin conditions that black skin may also experience from various reasons.

Acne

 

Acne is a skin condition that may appear as reddish bumps on the skin. Blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and comedowns can collectively comprise the condition of acne. Acne can occur on the face, back, chest, and other parts of the body, and it may be found on children, young adults, as well as adults.

There are many factors that may bring about acne, which includes excessive oil production by the skin, blockage of pores by hair follicles or dead skin cells, and possibly hormonal changes in the body. Acne may be in the form of pus-filled bumps because of formation of bacteria beneath the skin. Most adolescents would experience acne during their puberty years because of changes in hormone levels that occur during this time.

Because acne is common, there have been many products developed to specifically target the said problem. Examples of these known treatments include creams and ointments, which aim to reduce the inflammation or swelling of acne. Such creams contain the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide, which is known to have anti-bacterial properties. Most facial washes or scrubs have also been specially formulated for clearing the pores and getting rid of acne. These may contain salicylic acid, which helps rejuvenate the skin by peeling off dead skin cells.

It is always said that one of the best forms of treatment lies in prevention. In order for one to be acne-free, one must observe a proper skin care regimen, which includes cleansing, toning, and moisturizing on a daily basis. According to the Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007, even the diet of a person can affect the occurrence of acne on the skin. From a research done in Melbourne, Australia, it was found that switching to a low-sugar diet can improve the skin condition and prevent acne.

Regarding clinical procedures, best skin clinic melbourne offer special acne facials for patients with severe acne. Phototherapy or light therapy, surgical extraction, and skin peeling are among the treatments which skin care professionals provide. According to sources, there are also pills that may be taken to help reduce acne and prevent it as well.

Like with any other health concern, it is best to consult with a medical practitioner before attempting to use any product or treatment for getting rid of acne. Only a doctor can determine which of these procedures are safest for you, and which will provide you with more satisfying results.

Whatever you choose to do, don’t miss the reviews of these Acne Products , which are proven to work. Probably the best acne products you will find anywhere, and they all include a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. That means money back if your acne don’t go away.

Acne is in fact a frequent problem, no matter the skin type. As it’s connected to the hyperpigmentation which is a serious concern for dark skin.

The overproduction of oil in the skin is the main cause in acne. The oil is going to combine with bacteria within your pores, blocking the pore openings. An inflammation under your skin is going to appear and it’s only a matter of time until lesions are going to show (from small, unnoticeable bumps to large cysts).

A trauma like this is going to lead to pigmentation problems in dark skin and many medications used against acne may do the same thing. Some oral antibiotics (minocycline is very well known for that) may determine a darkening of your skin, taking you several months to heal.

When you have dark skin and develop acne, it’s better to talk to a dermatologist as soon as you can so you don’t end up with some permanent pigmentation scars.

Eczema

You may have heard about dermatitis by now, which is a skin condition that includes itchy, red rash that lasts for a long time, as main symptoms. Stress, extreme changes in temperatures, plant allergies, dry skin or irritations determined by cosmetic ingredients and skin care products like the eczema body wash are the most common reasons for eczema in dark skin.

If the eczema is the result of an inherited tendency, we’re going to talk about an atopic dermatitis.

It seems that eczema happens in children with dark skin twice as often. It seems that it’s a very common problem in Mexican-American teens, when compared to whites or blacks.

Eczema in dark skin presents two important issues:

  • It may raise the risk for pigmentation problems if you don’t take care of it early on
  • It’s going to cause long periods of treatment if it’s misdiagnosed or not treated right.

An efficient treatment for eczema is going to include a good identification of the condition and the removal of the products that irritate skin. Some steroid creams and moisturizers may help a lot and even ultraviolet light therapy is a solution in certain situations.

Either way, it’s fundamental to get help from the very first signs of red, itchy rashes as you do want to stay away from pigmentation problems.

Pigmentation changes

When it comes to hyperpigmentation, whether it’s because the skin produces too much pigment or because the pigment is placed deep within the skin, causing the dark spots. As the color is lost, you’re dealing with hypopigmentation so you’re going to notice light-colored patches all over your skin. People with dark skin are exposed for both skin conditions.

The post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation may stand out as the most typical type of pigment condition in dark skin. A skin injury such as scrape, burn or a cut may be the main reason for it. This skin condition may happen together with acne or eczema.

It may take years for the darkened area of skin to fade, despite the medical treatments. As for the medical treatments, you may try to remove layers of skin with the help of chemical peel or bleaching treatments. None of these treatments isn’t going to work on pigment deeper in the skin, though.

You should use the best sunblock for sun allergy so that you make sure that the pigmented area doesn’t get darker.

If your skin is sensitive, you present higher risk for pigmentation issues. Truth be told, any skin care product ingredient that dries or irritates your skin is going to raise that risk.

The most popular products contain salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, whereas the anti-aging products would include retinoid and glycolic acid. Hydroquinone in skin-bleaching products is going to irritate skin in some people too.

If your skin is lighter, the moment you stop the products that cause the irritation, the skin condition is going to disappear. For the dark color though, the irritations are going to cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation as well. You may have to deal with this type of problem even 2 weeks after you stopped the product, taking you months until you heal for good.

Nevertheless, as long as you’re using them right, all of these ingredients are safe and efficient to use on dark complexion.

Melanoma

Even though dark skin presents a natural protection against skin cancer, this doesn’t mean the risk for skin cancer is null. It may happen where the skin is lightest (soles of your feet, around the nail bed and in the palms). This situation happens for Native Americans, Asians and people of African descent. Melanoma is going to appear mostly on the legs in the case of Hispanics.

As it’s quite common for melanoma to be misdiagnosed as plantar warts (on the soles of your feet), talon noir (black heel) or tinea manuum (a fungus that appears on the palms of your hands), the treatment isn’t proper so the melanoma death rate is highest among people of darker skin.

An early diagnosis and being aware of this skin conditions are the best things to do.

Vitiligo

In the case of vitiligo, your skin becomes depigmented. The loss of color leads to white, large patches on your skin.

2% of the population is struggling with vitiligo, which is quite easy to notice in the case of dark skin. Vitiligo appears when melanin-producing cells are damaged, even though there is no certainty about that.

Sometimes vitiligo may hit the scalp so the hair may turn white, causing a premature gray hair.

A “re-pigment” of the skin may be one of the solution. Exposure to UV light (phototherapy) is one way to get rid of vitiligo as you’re increasing the amount of melanocyte cells at your skin’s surface like that.

You may also use some topical eczema cream tacrolimus, twice a day. Normal pigmentation may come back, even though you’re going to have to wait a couple of months until you get to see the results. Using some powerful steroid creams on specific areas of your body (face and neck) may work as well.

Keloids

The risk of keloids (a scar that goes over the original injury, developing into a growth) is high every time your dark skin is injured. Cuts and burns are the most typical causes for keloids.

You would typically develop keloids on your chest, arms, earlobes and back. They may appear right after an injury, but may also need a couple of years to grow.

Some people also experience pain, burning and itch when developing keloids. A tenderness to the touch is possible too.

We don’t know for sure why keloids develop and some believe they related to a defect in collagen production.

As for treatments, radiation therapy, cortisone injections, silicone gel applications, and pressure dressings are the frequent solutions.

Some remove keloids with laser or surgery, but no matter the treatment you’re trying, keloids are going to come back in 45% to 100% of the time.

Pseudo folliculitis Barbae (PFB)

Typically misdiagnosed as acne, this skin conditions includes bumps under the surface of your skin as main symptoms. It’s the ingrown hairs that seem to be the problem, though.

Hispanic and black people are dealing the most with this type of skin conditions.

You don’t want to squeeze or manipulate the bumps in any way, as you may cause inflammation or infections.

Laser hair removal is one of the solutions that you could try, but the best thing that you can do is to see a specialist that is going to diagnose it right.

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