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Dark skin problems. Which are the most common and what can you do about them?
Do you have dark skin problems?
Are you troubled by hyperpigmentation problems, dark elbows and knees, vitiligo, and “ashy” looking skin? If so, I invite you read this page and see what, if anything, can be done to effectively deal with them.
Regardless of race, skin color originates from the melanocyte cells which produce melanosomes. Melanosomes contain melanin. Although every human being has approximately the same number of melanocytes, it is the distribution and the size of the melanosomes that affects skin color. More and larger melanosomes, the darker the skin. Unfortunately, and for reasons which are still not well understood, many dark skin problems tend to be quite difficult to treat. One in particular stands out: post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
This condition most often occurs when a skin injury takes place. Products that cause irritation can also be responsible. Obviously, discontinuing the application of the offending product should help, and it often does - in people with light skin. But for dark skin, the irritation can lead to post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Eczema and acne can also cause hyperpigmentation. If you suffer from acne, an excellent product is the Complexion Clarifier. (See links at the bottom of this page). Don’t confuse this dark skin problem with ordinary hyper pigmentation, which is simply an overproduction of pigment, often seen over knees and elbows. To treat this, a variety of products exist; a few work reasonably well, most do not. Last year, in response to overwhelming requests, I provided my ezine subscribers with a simple and effective home-made recipe for lightening dark elbows and knees. Easy to use, effective, inexpensive but…. You must have patience, it will not work overnight! But what can we do to solve the problem of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation? Chemical peels have shown some success. However, if you’re concerned about chemical peels in general, and are concerned about their cost, then by all means try the home-made recipe (you may wish to alternate the salt with crushed, non-coated aspirin, but do not use the aspirin if you’re allergic to it! Be especially careful of HYDROQUINONE, as many people report irritation following its use. Also, a very safe and effective product available at Je Me Souvien is the Alpha Enzyme Peel. How does it work? Beautifully! Remember to apply sunscreen on a daily basis. Some people believe that dark skin is immune to sun damage, but that’s not so. So do apply a sunscreen containing an SPF of 15 or higher.
Vitiligo cause depigmentation, resulting in white patches; the patches may be of different size and can occur anywhere over the body. The exact reason for vitiligo is unknown, but it’s believed to be due to damaged melanin-producing cells.
There is also a growing belief that vitiligo is a poly-glandular syndrome, and that roughly 50% of vitiligo patients suffer from thyroid disease. Other possible, but much less common causes include pernicious anemia and Addison’s disease.
There is no 100% effective therapy for vitiligo. The most common method is PUVA; ask your doctor or dermatologist about it. Other treatments include laser treatments, skin grafting and the use of corticosteroid creams (careful with these as prolonged use may result in excessive thinning of the skin!)
Dry skin can often make dark skin appear "ashy". Some people will try to conceal it by applying make-up, but this practice often makes matters worse. what you need are only a couple of excellent products with very, very low risk of irritating the skin. I highly recommend two (and sometimes three) products. (1)Moisture Therapy Scrub; (2)Moisture Therapy Lotion; (3)Argan oil butter. Click on the links at the bottom of this page to find out more about these products. I will provide you with specific instructions depending on the product you choose. Thank you for your time. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Dark skin problems: skin care products
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