Our SkinMany roles are performed by it. It is essential for our senses of touch and temperature.
While these functions are common to all of us, our skin can also vary cosmetically.
Your skin tone can affect how soon you’ll develop The wrinklessunspots. It can also influence whether you’re more prone to hyperpigmentation, darkened areas on your skin.
Skin tone isn’t simply a matter of race, since people from the same background can have widely varying skin color. Race and ethnicity usually aren’t an accurate reflection of skin tone, says Anna Chien, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Doctors refer to “skin types” ranging from 1 to 6. The skin type 1 is the most pale. It never tans and always burns. Type 4 and type 5 are medium-tones. They are lighter brown and tan easily. The deepest pigment, Skin type 6, is the darkest and most likely to burn. This range of skin types is also called “Fitzpatrick skin typing,” named for the doctor who developed it. It’s based on how much pigment is in someone’s skin and how their skin reacts to sun exposure.
Three dermatologists will explain how skin tone affects skin care routines.
Sun Damage
Doctors can be reached at sun damage “photoaging,” which includes the wrinkles and sunspots that can come with sun exposure.
This tends to happen “a little more quickly” in people who have lighter skin types, Chien says. “And they are more prone to skin cancers.”
In contrast, people with darker skin tones “often do have delay in the signs of photoaging. They also have a lower chance of developing skin cancer. skin cancer,” says Julia Mhlaba, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “That pigment actually provides sun protection.”
But it’s important to keep in mind that a lower risk of skin cancer doesn’t mean zero risk. “All skin can get skin cancer,” says Shani Francis, MD, a dermatologist in the Los Angeles area.
Misconceptions that people with darker skin don’t get skin cancer are dangerous because that can lead to a delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. “We definitely can see skin cancer in darker-skinned individuals,” Chien says. “And unfortunately, because this isn’t often talked about … the skin cancer may be found later when it’s much more progressed.”
In people with darker skin, cancers can also occur in places “where patients typically don’t get exposed to sun, like the bottoms of the hands and the feet,” Mhlaba says.
Sunscreen is a universal need
All skin types require sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 – every day, rain or shine – to help prevent skin cancer and slow photoaging.
“We always recommend sun protection because even in darker-skinned individuals [and in] folks who say, ‘I never burn; I always tan,’ they’re still getting the damage in the skin,” Chien says.
If you’re outdoors for long periods, use at least an SPF of 60, Chien says. Reapply often, especially if you’re active, It is important to sweatSwimming, getting wet.
Zinc oxide or physical blocker sunscreens titanium dioxideAccording to experts, these products offer the most protection. But on darker skin, these products aren’t always cosmetically elegant.
“It can cause white film on the skin, which is challenging for individuals with darker skin tone,” Chien says. Tinted sunscreens are recommended to better match skin tone.
Tinted sunscreenAdditional benefits may be possible. Chien points out that longer wavelengths than UV rays can cause more damage to darker skinned people than for people with lighter complexions. “The tint can actually protect against a little bit of the longer wavelength that their skin could be more sensitive to,” she explains.
Beyond Sunscreen
Don’t rely on sunscreen alone. “I always tell my patients sunscreens aren’t perfect,” Chien says. “We need to reapply and combine [it] with other measures.”
This includes wearing sunglassesAvoid peak sun and wear long-sleeved shirts. She calls it a “multi-modal approach to sun protection.”
And don’t count on SPF in MakeupChien states that you need to use it alone to get enough protection. “The SPF they achieve in a lab setting – usually they’re applying a fairly thick amount of that makeup, so it doesn’t really mimic day-to-day use.”
What you need to know about Retinols and Retinoids
The regular use of sunscreen and moisturizer can help to slow down the signs of aging. You can also use a moisturizer and sunscreen. retinoidUse retinol, or apply it to your skin.
“These are vitamin A derivatives that can either be purchased in over-the- counter versions or they can be prescribed by a dermatologist at higher strengths,” Mhlaba says. “They do a lot of things: They’re used to treat acne. They can also help with pigmentation. But they can also help in terms of smoothing out fine lines and preventing wrinkle formation.”
Mhlaba says that people with darker skin tones may be able to use stronger retinoids, but it is important to start slowly in order to not cause skin irritation. “If they do develop irritation, it can cause hyperpigmentation more easily than in patients with lighter skin types,” she explains.
Her advice? Start with a small amount and repeat this process every few days. To reduce skin irritation, use a moisturizer.
Hyperpigmentation
Mhlaba claims that applying sunscreen to the face can slow down photoaging and prevent hyperpigmentation.
Hyperpigmentation can happen in all skin types, but it’s more common in people of color, Mhlaba says.
“It can occur from AcneScars or eczema or at sites of trauma, and then there are other conditions that lead to hyperpigmentation, like melasma,” she says. Melasma is characterized by darker pigmentation, particularly on the skin.
Sun exposure can worsen hyperpigmentation – another reason why sunscreen is key. Hyperpigmentation can be treated with these products vitamin CVitamin C-containing products, serum, azelaic and glycolic acids, as well as niacinamide, Mhlaba Notes.
Dermatologists can also prescribe treatment for melasma. HydroquinoneOral medication or compounds that are based on alcohol.
Dryness
Dry skinAll skin types can be affected. “But if your skin is darker, Dry skin is light white, and so there’s more contrast. It’s much more noticeable,” Francis says. This dry appearance is due to the shedding of skin.
Darker skin that becomes dry could benefit from “a really good, thick moisturizer, something that could help to rebuild the [skin] barrier,” Chien says.
Don’t judge a product by how thick it looks in the container. Francis says that the most important thing is how thick it feels on your skin. She suggests searching for ingredients such as Ceramides. GlycerinCastor oil, petroleum jelly and hempseed oils.
Apply moisturizer to damp skin after bathing or showering. “It will keep the water in the skin,” she says.
Sensitivity
Sensitivity can affect people of all skin types. “Stick with really bland products,” Chien says. Avoid antibacterial products that are scented.
“Keep the skin care regimen pretty simple: just a gentle face wash, a bland moisturizer, something with an SPF built in for the daytime, and just a plain moisturizer in the evening,” she says.
People with sensitive skin can spot-test a product behind their ear or upper inner arm to make sure they don’t react to the product, Chien says.
She recommends “not adding in a lot of serums or anti-aging products. A lot of those can be irritants.”
If people with sensitive skin want to exfoliate, “It’s a little more patient-specific in terms of what their skin will tolerate,” Mhlaba says. Some exfoliators are too harsh. But “if you’re talking about a chemical exfoliator, I would definitely recommend starting slowly and working up to using it daily, if needed. Sometimes, even just … once a week, depending on the product, could be enough.”
“Look for things with salicylic acid, glycolic acid,” she says. “A lot of topical creams will have that. That is a good way to exfoliate.”
