Ethnic Skin Care: Discoloration

Men and women with dark skin often struggle with hyperpigmentation and discoloration. Whether it’s caused by injuries, sun damage or past acne, this issue plagues a wide range of skin types. However, ethnic skin is typically more susceptible to darkening because it contains more melanin. But don’t fret. We have some foolproof ways to protect your skin’s gorgeous dark tone.

Adhere to a simple and safe skin care routine.

• Cleanse your face one to three times a day, depending on its dryness.
• Use GENTLE cleansers and avoid any abrasive washes, and especially cleansing puffs or loofahs
• Try to refrain from moisturizers unless your face feels dry without them.

Pick the best products for your unique skin type.

• There is no need to buy fancy, overpriced products – drugstore brands are fine.
• If your skin is dry, look for products recommended for sensitive skin and make sure to avoid anything with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, as these harsh chemicals can further dry out your skin.

Helpful hint: when trying a new product, use it very sparingly at first to ensure that it doesn’t irritate your skin.

Mind your medications.

• Many commonly prescribed drugs increase your sensitivity to the sun, making it especially important that you apply extra sunscreen or sometimes avoid the sun completely.
• Some of the most common drugs that create sun sensitivity are birth control pills, antibiotics, acne medication and cancer drugs.
• There are many more, however, so be sure to ask your doctor if any of your medications are on this list so you can know how to properly protect your skin.

Don’t linger when your skin is in distress.

• The quicker you address a problem with your skin, the quicker it will go away AND the less likely it is to become an ongoing issue.
• Taking a trip to your dermatologist will not only save your skin, but could also save you money by preventing you from having to buy tons of products to help your condition later down the road. 

Contact a specialist for prescription therapies or cosmetic surgery.

• If you need skin care beyond what you can do yourself, seek professional treatments, both low- and high-tech.
• Some common treatments for dark skinned patients are acne medication, facial peels, microdermabrasion and laser treatment, among others.

Tip: be sure to ask around for an expert in treating dark skin. For more complex skin treatments, make sure you are in experienced hands and will receive the best treatment to rejuvenate your skin.

Skin of Many Colors

The skin is your body’s largest organ. For that reason, it’s usually fairly obvious when something is wrong with it. The color of the skin is particularly noticeable, as most people with healthy skin also have a healthy, even tone.

Skin discoloration can be caused by a variety of factors, but this post will address a few common ones, as well as when to see a doctor.

1.    How does the skin get its color?

The outer layer of skin, called the epidermis, has what is called melanocytes. Everyone has different levels of melanocytes, which determine how dark your skin will be. Darker skin has more active melanocytes.

When exposed to the sun, melanocytes produce a pigment called melanin. The melanin works to protect your skin against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, often resulting in your skin darkening. While many people consider the resulting tan as an advantage, remember that any change in the color of your skin means that it has been damaged in some way.

2.    Common causes of discoloration

Discoloration can be temporary, but rarely just happens. It’s almost always associated with some other (sometimes preventable) cause. Common causes for skin discoloration include:

• Side effects from medication
• Signs of aging
• Sun exposure/sunspots
• Genetics (birthmarks, melanocyte deficiency/albinism)
• Scars
• Stretch marks
• Skin growths (moles, skin tags)

Some of these causes – like sun exposure – are preventable. If you wear sunscreen of at least 30 SPF every day, you’ll be less likely to experience sunspots or other discolorations associated with ultraviolet rays.

3.    Types of discoloration

As mentioned above, discoloration can results from preventable factors or from genetic or other medical causes. There are a few common medical terms related to discoloration that you should know:

• Hyperpigmentation – This is when the skin is darker than normal. It usually results from an injury or scarring in darker-skinned people. Some people even get it as a result of blemishes. This is why it is important to take care of breakouts properly, as explained in a previous post.
• Hypopigmentation – This is when the skin is lighter than normal.
• Melasma – This is a term for skin discoloration that is often related to hormonal changes. It is sometimes called “the mask of pregnancy” due to the mask-like discoloration on the face that often occurs during the rapid hormone changes during pregnancy.
• Albinism – This is a medical term for a person without any melanin in their skin. It is a genetic condition resulting in very light skin, white or pale yellow hair and light eyes.
• Vitiligo – This is a disorder that creates smooth white spots with no pigment on the skin.

4.    Treating skin discoloration

How you should treat your skin discoloration depends on why you have it. There is no cure for albinism, for example, but some temporary discolorations can be treated.

• If the discoloration is recent and only in the top layers of skin, exfoliation may help.
• First, try a cleanser with glycolic or lactic acid. These types of cleansers are not abrasive, but will exfoliate gently.
• If you decide to try something beaded that will help remove layers of dead skin cells that may be discolored, be aware that if it’s too abrasive it could make the discoloration worse.
• Make sure to follow the tips in our blog post on exfoliation.
• If the discoloration is a result of medication, talk to your doctor about stopping or changing medication to something without skin discoloration side effects.
•  If the discoloration is a result of sunspots or other sun exposure, prevent it in the future by covering your skin and wearing sunscreen of at least 30 SPF every day.
• If it’s simple and involves something like freckles, just use a good makeup to cover what you don’t like.
• Our blog post on the best anti-aging makeup may help.  
• If the discoloration is long-term and deep in the skin, talk to a dermatologist about laser treatments. These are often minimally invasive and can correct discoloration related to hormones, aging, birthmarks or other causes.
• If you have a strange mole, remember the ABCDE of melanoma, and get it checked out by a doctor if it starts to concern you.

Have questions about skin discoloration that I didn’t address here? Ask them in the comments and we can discuss them there.