Caring for African American Teen Skin

By Danna K. Johnston

Acne and the resultant scarring are major concerns amongst African American teens.  Because African American skin contains higher amounts of melanin (the pigment that gives African American skin its beautiful brown tone), there is an increased chance that scarring (or hyperpigmentation) will occur after an acne breakout.

Educating African American teens on how to effectively deal with acne and hyperpigmentation will help your teen achieve and maintain beautiful skin now and well into adulthood.  Clear skin can also improve a teen’s level of confidence.

Please share this resource with your teen when questions arise regarding their skin.

WHY DO I GET ACNE?

Under your facial skin surface, you have follicles that grow hair.  Attached to these follicles, you have oil producing glands (called sebaceous glands) that produce oil (or sebum). As a teenager, your hormones are in overdrive, causing an overproduction of sebum from the sebaceous glands.  This sebum, plus dirt and old makeup can get trapped in and plug up the follicle. Also, as a young person, your skin is not as efficient at shedding, so old, dead skin, can plug up the follicle too.  This can cause bacteria to form, usually resulting in inflammation to your skin.  You see this as acne.  

Once your acne clears, a scar may appear where the acne once was.  This scar, (called hyperpigmentation) can last for months, or even years. Hyperpigmentation can form from old bug bites too.  African American skin has a higher chance of hyperpigmentation because your skin contains more melanin. When injury such as acne, inflammation or bug bites occur, your skin responds by sending more melanin to the surface of where the injury happened. This is why dark spots and uneven skin occur. 

HOW DO I AVOID ACNE?

Get a good Skin Care Regimen: This regimen should consist of 4 steps: Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize, Exfoliate.

1.  Cleanse: Every morning and night.  Cleansing gently removes dirt, old makeup and debris from your skin, so your follicles won’t become clogged.  If you have oily, or acne prone skin, look for an oil-free gel cleanser that can deep clean without leaving your skin tight or dry. Only buy cleansers with no added colors or synthetic fragrances and perfumes because these can irritate your skin and cause hyperpigmentation.

2.   Tone: A non-drying alcohol-free toner that will not irritate your skin. Toners condition your skin towards its proper PH balance, treat acne breakouts, and close up your pores so your skin appears smoother looking. 

3.   Moisturize every morning and night.  Your moisturizer should be fragrance-free and dye-free as not to cause irritation that can lead to hyperpigmentation.  Hydrating your skin is a must for ALL skin types.  Look for moisturizers that contain natural moisturizers like Shea Butter and Aloe Vera. Shea butter hydrates and protects your skin, while Aloe Vera repairs, soothes and calms your skin.  They both also help clear up and even out your skin tone. If you have oily skin, make sure you use an “oil control” or “oil-free” moisturizer.
  

4.   Exfoliate: As a teen, your skin isn’t as efficient at the natural sloughing process yet, so a good mask or exfoliator is needed to remove old dead skin which can lead to clogging, inflammation and acne. Try to avoid harsh scrubs with granules because they can cause irritation and injury to the skin – which can lead to hyperpigmentation.  Look for scrubs that use clays and enzymes to gently remove dead cells from the surface of your skin.

Drink plenty of water:  Water flushes the pores of debris and gets your overall body function to work better, leading to more beautiful, healthy skin. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, add a squeeze of lemon or lime for flavor.

Maintain a balanced diet:  Proper diet helps your hormones stay in balance.  Include plenty of fresh fruits and leafy green vegetables.

Exercise: Remember that impurities in your pores can lead to acne, cardio workouts (team sports too) that make you sweat will help flush out impurities from your skin. 

Get your rest: Your skin is your largest organ.  Skin can look tired, and function at less than optimal levels without proper rest.  Give your skin a chance to recover with 8 hours of sleep.

HOW DO I AVOID SCARRING (HYPERPIGMENTATION) AND BRIGHTEN DARK SPOTS I ALREADY HAVE?

To avoid scarring and possible infection, do not pop or pick your zits. To brighten dark spots, find moisturizers that contain natural brightening ingredients such as Licorice, Vitamin C and Green Tea extract. Avoid harsher agents like hydroquinone, because if used incorrectly, a condition called hypopigmentation can occur (where a noticeable white ring forms around the spot you are trying to correct).

Coaching your teen to take good care of their skin now sets a solid foundation for later years.    

Beauty By Danna, Inc. 2010. www.darkskincare.com This information is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.