Clinical Skin Care for People of Color

Clinical Skin Care for People of Color
Scrub Sense or Nonsense
by Kat Leverette

The debate has always been heated among skin care specialists and dermatologists as to the risks and benefits of scrubbing one's countenance. The dangers of creating microscopic tears in the skin are very real, especially if a scrub contains granules with irregular edges, like crushed walnut shells or apricot pits.

Warning to People of Color: Abrasion caused by overzealous manual exfoliation (scrubbing too often, using too much pressure) by any means or method, coupled with exposure to sunlight, can leave unsightly and hard-to-remove hyperpigmentation in its wake, especially on the neck. You cannot scrub the "black" off your neck!

Washcloths vs. Scrubs vs. Buffing Pads: There are pitfalls to virtually every method of "epidermabrasion", especially on Black skin.

Who's at Risk: Sensitive and thin-skinned individuals, People of Color, and those using Retin-A®, Accutane®, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid and other AHAs, BHA, photo-sensitive skin. Because many active ingredients can cause superficial flaking, the temptation to scrub off dead skin cells is sometimes irresistible. Abrading the skin manually (scrubs, buffing pads, rubbing with a washcloth or towel, and microdermabrasion procedures performed in a salon or medical office) can cause over-exfoliation, allowing "active" home care topicals to penetrate deeper into irritated skin. This can turn mild flaking into scaling and prolonged irritation. It can also activate the melanocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis (the cells that provide your natural coloration), causing hyperpigmentation problems to increase dramatically, especially if exposed to sunlight.

Unwelcome Results: The side effects include redness, burning, undue scaling, increased sun-sensitivity, severe pigmentation problems and an uneven skintone.

More info in manuals and training classes-