African American Skin Care

The fact is that any type of skin condition can happen regardless of the pigment of skin you have. When it comes to African American skin care and others with darker complexions however, there are a few skin care problems that are much more prevalent.

Here are five of the most common African American skin care issues?

Acne

Acne is a chronic disorder characterized by excess production of oil from sebaceous glands causing the hair follicles generally on the face, chest and back to become plugged. Pimples, papules, pustules and comedone, (black heads and white heads) cysts and infected abscesses can be treated in acne. Acne affects most teenagers to some extent. However, the disease is not restricted to any age group; adults in their 20s - even into their 40s - can get acne. In regards to African American skin care , acne may result in long lasting discolorations of the skin. Therapy is the same for all skin types but it is very important to use topical agents that minimize irritation of the skin.

Ingrown Hairs of the Beard (Razor Bumps)

Another African American skin care issue is Ingrown Hairs. African Americans have curved hair shafts and this is true of beard hair as well as other body hair. Often after a very close shave, the pointed hair may curl back into the skin and it may pierce the wall of the hair follicle, causing a reaction resulting in bumps called "pseudofolliculitis barbae." If you can, growing a beard is a viable option for helping this.

African American men should try different methods of hair removal if they suffer with ingrown hairs, which are also called razor bumps. Shaving with a special type of safety razor that does not permit a very close shave may help. Do not stretch the skin during shaving and don't shave on a daily basis. If hairs become ingrown, lift them up with an alcohol-cleaned needle (don't tweeze or pluck) just before shaving. Sometimes using a rough washcloth before shaving can help to loosen hairs about to grow inward.

Hair removal chemicals do remove hair but should only be used once a week. They must be wiped off promptly according to package directions and wash your face twice with soap and water immediately afterwards to guard against irritation.

Permanent removal of hair performed by an experienced Electrolysis Operator may be an effective solution and there are new medicated creams that may slow hair growth and help. Be sure to consult your dermatologist about treatment options .

Variations in Skin Color

African American skin has larger melanosomes (cells that determine skin color ) and the melanosomes contain more of the pigment melanin than those found in white skin. Because of the protective effect of melanin, African-Americans are better protected against skin cancer and premature wrinkling from sun exposure.

Post inflammatory hyper pigmentation is quite common in dark skinned individuals, even after minor trauma. An area of the skin may darken after an injury such as a cut or a scrape, or after certain skin disorders such as acne. To avoid or reduce post inflammatory hyper pigmentation, avoid picking, harsh scrubbing, and abrasive treatments. Darkened areas of skin may take many months or years to fade, although topical (surface) bleaching agents may help. Also chemical peels (using alpha and beta hydroxyl acids) and microdermabrasion can be helpful."

Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a common African American skin care condition where pigment cells are destroyed and irregular white patches on the skin appear. Many dermatologists think that the cause of this common disorder is an autoimmune process, where the cells of the body attack the pigment producing cells.

The extent of color loss differs with each person; some people lose pigment over their entire bodies. Some patients with vitiligo do not regain skin color, however some cases of vitiligo do repigment. See your dermatologist as soon as possible, as the extent of the disease will determine the appropriate treatment. .

Several skin care methods are used to treat vitiligo, but none have been perfected. Topical medications, including corticosteroids and new non-steroid anti-inflammatory preparations are commonly used. In cases where vitiligo affects most of the body, it is sometimes best to destroy the remaining normal pigment. A dermatologist can determine what treatment is best based on the extent of the disease.

Keloids

When the scar from a cut or wound extends and spreads beyond the size of the original wound, it is known as a keloid. Keloids may vary in size, shape, and location. They occur more often in brown or black skin making this a very common African American skin care issue.

Keloids are a common skin care issue on the ear lobes, neck, chest, or back, and usually occur after an injury or surgery. Occasionally they occur spontaneously, especially on the mid-chest area. Keloids often follow inflammation caused by acne on the face, chest, and back.

Keloids may be painful both physically and emotionally (from a cosmetic perspective), but it's important to address keloids primarily as a medical, rather than cosmetic condition.

Depending on the location of the keloid, skin care treatment may consist of cortisone injections, pressure, silicone gels, surgery, laser treatment, or radiation therapy. Unfortunately, keloids tend to return and even enlarge, especially after treatment with surgery.

Find more great information on not just African American skin care but all skin care needs. Find up to date and step by step skin care articles, resources , products and the latest skin care news.

Orange County Plastic Surgeon Search

The main problem is that of abundance. Finding an Orange County plastic surgeon is easy, the problem is to find THE Orange County plastic surgeon - the one who will meet your expectations. Start from searching the Internet. There you will probably find about fifty plastic surgeons for a start. When you have the list, start contacting them, one by one. I know this is time consuming, but the plastic surgery is a surgery, not some kind of magic. Narrow your list to those who specialize in the kind of surgery you want to have and visit the clinics nuskin.

How can you find the best plastic surgeon available?

Every Orange County plastic surgeon worth choosing will offer you a short walk around the clinic to show you what's going on there. If they ask you to sight tight in an office, it's a big minus. The second checkpoint is the plastic surgery picture. Ask them to show you the "before/after" photos of patients that had similar surgery to yours. Even in Orange County, every plastic surgeon will have to show you the pictures. Check them carefully - if in any of them you will see makeup, resign. All these photos are used for medical purposes and taking photos in makeup means only that there is something to hide. If both the walk and the pictures' check went good, you can get down to business.

Things you should check before the surgery

The prices are quite high in Orange County nuskin. Every plastic surgeon living there is a professional, so the prices are "professional" too. Don't worry about the money, though. You are about to have a surgery any saving $300 and risking some surgery complications instead isn't a too bright idea. Remember, it's the professionalism you're looking for, not a discount. Every Orange County plastic surgeon is a professional, but you want to get "the best of the best", don't you? The money you will spend is only a secondary problem then. I say this because we tend to forget about it during any purchases or negotiations and we start thinking only about our money.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Plastic Surgery Resources a website providing information on cosmetic surgery .

Plastic Surgery - A Risky Business

Choosing to have plastic surgery on any area of your body is likely to be one of the biggest decisions you will ever make, and should not be undertaken lightly. Like any other kind of medical procedure, there are risks involved, and these must be carefully weighed before surgery. When it boils down to basics, anyone considering plastic surgery must decide whether the possibility of what they might gain is more powerful than the risk of losing what they already have , however unattractive that might seem.

Medical science is, it seems, improving almost every day, and so plastic surgery does not now involve the risks it once did. We all, however, have heard horror stories about people who have been permanently scarred by surgery that has gone wrong, and have even lost their lives. While we might all in theory say that we would give anything for a butt like J-Lo, we have to ask ourselves before surgery how realistic a statement this really is.

The best protection against surgery mishaps is choosing a highly qualified and experienced plastic surgeon, so do your research before selecting a doctor. The plastic surgery industry is an extremely buoyant one, and while this means that there is a huge choice of surgeons available, it also means that those who are less skilled can find a niche in the market by offering low prices to vulnerable people. This is not to say that the more expensive the better , simply that knowledge is power. Talk to former patients of any doctor you are considering, and find out how happy they were with their surgeon's work.

Plastic surgery involves an operating room that is remarkably similar to the one in which cancerous tumors are removed, and other surgeries that we would not choose to have performed unless we had to. Lives are lost in every OR, so before going under the knife weigh the risks carefully, and make sure that you are putting yourself in the hands of the best .