Skin of Color

Raise your hand if you want personalized care for your skin.     

People come in all shapes and sizes.  Similarly, skin color differs from person to person. At the Advanced Dermatology Center, we know that people with different skin colors can have different skin problems and very different needs.

Whether your skin type is African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Caucasian, etc., we are here to provide you with the care you need.  That's why we are equipped to offer a variety of specialized procedures and why we operate the largest, best equipped, and most technologically advanced laser center in the area. When you ask us to take care of your skin, you are placing your trust in us to make sure that you get the treatments that are best suited to your individual needs. Different racial groups do tend to encounter dermatology issues and needs that are more common within or even unique to their group. We approach and treat with that in mind.

For Black skin, we know several skin problems occur more frequently. Although we can’t go into depth on all of those here, we want to briefly discuss some of the more common problems below:

Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra (DPN) – These are small dark colored papules that stick up from the skin surface.  They are usually on the face and can run in families.  They are not dangerous but very often people want these removed for cosmetic reasons.

Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra (DPN)
	Patient with DPN.
	Patient with DPN, prior to treatment.
	Patient after treatment for DPN.

Keloids – These are raised scars that can be sore or tender.  Common sites are the earlobes, chest, and back of the scalp.  For information on Keloids, how we treat them, and more photos of them, visit our special Keloids page.

A few examples of Keloids

Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) – These are ingrown hairs or hair bumps and generally occur on the face and neck.  Hair in African-Americans is more curly and more likely to ingrow.  Treatments include good skin care, good shaving practices and trying not to cut the beard too short, and antibiotics.  Treatment with a Hair Removal Laser is a newer therapy and we find it is very effective for long-term improvement.  But that has to be done with the proper equipment and expertise since black skin is very sensitive to laser treatment.

Uneven skin tone – Pigment can vary by itself with darker and lighter areas.  But darker skin is more sensitive so any kind of inflammation can cause the melanocytes to react, making the skin darker or lighter.  These Post Inflammatory Pigment Changes, including Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH), can be a significant cosmetic concern.  To treat this we’ll often use gentle chemical peels and topical preparations.

Treatment with Chemical Peels
Before	After
Before	After

Vitiligo – This can occur in all skin types, but it shows up much more in darker skin.  We now have a good therapy for Vitiligo and to learn more please visit our Vitiligo page.

Skin Cancers - Darker skin offers a great deal of protection against sun and therefore against many skin cancers, but people with darker skin can still develop melanoma skin cancers, especially on the palms, soles, under the nails and in the mouth. They can also of course develop non-melanoma skin cancers. For more information, please visit our webpages on those subjects, Skin Cancers, Melanoma, Basal Cell Cancer, Squamous Cell Cancer.

For dermatologic care that addresses your needs, call the Advanced Dermatology Center to schedule your consultation.