Ethnic Skin Problems
Having highly pigmented, ethnic skin can be a blessing, according to Dr. Susan C. Taylor, MD, director of the Skin of Color Center in New York and author of Brown Skin: Dr. Susan Taylor's Prescription for Flawless Skin, Hair and Nails (Harper Collins, 2003). Dark skin tends not to age as quickly. However, there are problems associated with having a lot of pigment (melanin) in your skin. Melanin can eventually and permanently mar the skin's thick protective blanket. There are also other concerns that are associated with deeply pigmented skin.
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Melasma
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According to Dr. Heather Woolery-Lloyd, director of ethnic skin care at the University of Miami Cosmetic Center, dark-skinned women tend to develop a condition called melasma or the mask of pregnancy, which is caused by hormones. Their faces can get darker pursuant to developing melasma.
Keloids
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Another problem that darker-skinned individuals face is the prospect of developing keloids after an injury. A keloid is a pronounced scar that is painful, itchy and unattractive. Keloids are sometimes removed, but the procedure is not recommended. If a keloid is removed, the scar can become even larger, according to Dr. Woolery-Lloyd. Dark skin tends to discolor after an injury as well.
A doctor must consider a person's ethnicity before he treats skin conditions, because the techniques used on a light-skinned person may not work so well on a darker-skinned individual.
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Inflammation Problems
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Another problem that dark-skinned people can encounter is post-inflammatory hypopigmentation. This happens when skin trauma or a burn occurs and results in lighter areas on the skin. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is just the opposite. A minor pimple or scratch can cause melanin production to increase and this can result in dark patches on the skin. It can take months or years before these dark patches fade.
Misconceptions
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A common misconception is that dark skin is oilier than light skin. Oil is more noticeable on dark skin, but dark skin can run the gamut from dry to combination skin to oily just like white skin.
Another myth about ethnic skin is that it is immune to skin cancer. Not true. Of course, darker skin has more protection from the sun than light skin because it contains more pigment, or melanin; but that alone doesn't prevent skin cancer entirely. Even dark-skinned people need to be cognizant of the sun and its adverse effects.
Sensitive
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Dr. Taylor notes that African-American skin is very sensitive. Melanin can revolt if an individual is using the wrong skin product and the skin may develop a discoloration after exposure to the products.
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