3 Effective Treatments For Women With Darker Skin

WHAT’S IN A SKIN TONE?

Before looking at some effective skin treatments for darker skin, it’s important to understand some basics about skin tone. Your skin tone, or natural skin color, is determined by the amount of melanin in your skin. Melanin is a colored pigment found in the skin, hair, and eyes. There are two different types of melanin that affect skin tone:

Eumelanin: found in darker skin tones such as brown or black. The more eumelanin in a person’s skin, the darker the skin.

Pheomelanin: found in hues like red and yellow. The more pheomelanin in a person’s skin, the lighter the skin.

Research on skin tone shows that the amount of eumelanin in a person’s skin is dependent on the need to optimize folate and vitamin D. Ultraviolet radiation depletes the amount of folate while helping the body to produce vitamin D. Therefore, an individual’s skin tone develops to contain enough eumelanin to prevent the depletion of folate, while still allowing for the absorption of UV radiation to produce vitamin D. Humans whose ancestors evolved in areas closer to the equator tend to have more eumelanin since there is more UV near the equator. As humans migrated away from the equator, the amount of UV radiation decreased, as did the body’s production of eumelanin, resulting in lighter skin tones.

Since an individual’s skin tone is made up of varying amounts of eumelanin and/or pheomelanin, this affects how the skin responds to certain factors such as:

Acne

Although acne occurs in all skin tones, it is more likely to cause inflammation and/scarring in people with darker skin or who are of Asian descent (Asian skin has a unique pigment composition).

Age

People with lighter skin are more susceptible to developing early signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles. People with darker skin tones or those of Asian descent, on the other hand, have a thicker dermis layer that contains more collagen. This means that they may experience delayed signs of aging. However, people of Asian descent are more likely to experience age spots, as are people with lighter skin.

The Sun

Eumelanin cells are more effective than pheomelanin cells at preventing damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This means that people with darker skin (which contains more eumelanin) naturally are more protected from the sun. However sunscreen should still be used in all skin tones.

In addition to responding different to these aforementioned factors, skin tone can also increase your risk of developing certain skin conditions, such as:

Eczema: has a genetic component, however is commonly seen in people with dark skin and/or people of Asian descent.
Pigment Disorders (Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, melasma): More likely to affect people with darker skin, specifically of Asian, Hispanic, or African descent.
Sensitive Skin: Asian skin is considered to be the most sensitive, while darker skin tones are considered to be the toughest.
Rosacea: people with lighter skin are more likely to develop rosacea.

THE ROLE OF SKIN TONE ON AESTHETIC TREATMENTS

Now that we know a little more about skin tone, let’s take a look at how skin tone can affect certain skincare treatments. For starters, an individual’s skin tone can affect the type of treatment that one chooses. As mentioned above, different skin tones are more prone to certain skin issues. The type of skin issue one is looking to correct will directly affect the types of treatments they may choose. For example, someone with wrinkles may choose Botox.

3 EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS FOR DARKER SKIN

While the type of skin issue is an important factor to consider when picking a skin treatment, considering your skin tone is equally as important to obtain the best results. As such, here are three effective treatments for women with darker skin:

Chemical Peels

During a chemical peel, an acidic solution is applied to the surface of the skin and left for a designated amount of time before being removed. Depending on the type of acid used, chemical peels can stimulate the epidermis and/or dermis in order to treat signs of aging, discoloration, and UV damage. Superficial peels tend to be the most effective on darker skin, however medium peels may also be effective on certain darker skin tones.

Microneedling

During a microneedling treatment, a pen containing 12 tiny needles is moved around the face and used to create hundreds of microscopic traumas in the skin. These micro traumas initiate the body’s natural healing process, which boost the production of collagen. Microneedling is commonly used to treat scars, enlarged pores, dull skin, fine lines and wrinkles, and uneven skin tone. Microneedling is a safe and effective treatment for people with darker skin tones because the needles stimulate collagen production, but do not penetrate deep enough to cause damage.

Venus Freeze™

During a Venus Freeze treatment, pulsed electromagnetic fields are used to heat tissues at various depths to stimulate the production of fibroblasts, collagen, and elastin. The result is skin that becomes tighter and smoother. Venus Freeze™ is a gentle skin-tightening treatment that can be used safely on all skin tones.

TO SUM IT ALL UP:

Darker skin contains more eumelanin and responds differently to acne, aging, and the sun when compared to lighter skin. These differences can also cause darker skin to react differently to certain skincare treatments, which can make them not as effective. Chemical peels, microneedling, and Venus Freeze all offer effective solutions for women with dark skin tones, so they can still have flawless skin. However, it is still recommended to consult with an experienced provider to determine which treatment is best for your individual skin tone.