SKIN OF COLOUR - TREATING HYPERPIGMENTATION
So continuing on from my last blog, February 2018 saw the launch of the Black Skin Directory - a fantastic resource designed to help women of colour find the perfect professional skincare for their needs. It's something that I'm very excited about, as I believe that black and darker skin care is an area that has been a little neglected - despite the fact that according to the last UK census in 2011 there were 4.2 million Asian/Asian British people in England and Wales, plus 1.9 million Black/African/Caribbean/Black British people. That's a lot of people looking for skin care that's not routinely offered in every clinic. Treating skin of colour is definitely something I am proud to have at the top of my clinic menu, and in my time as a Skin Specialist I've realised that there are some skin issues that affect darker skin more often than pale. Hyperpigmentation Skin of colour is, essentially, just skin, but there are naturally some issues that affect darker skin more, and one of those is hyperpigmentation. All skin types can be prone to hyperpigmentation, especially as we age. It can be caused by exposure to the sun and hormonal changes like pregnancy, but it's more common in skin of colour and I see many clients with different degrees of it. Hyperpigmentation happens when skin produces too much melanin, the chemical that makes your skin change colour in the sun. It causes darkened patches of skin, often on the face and hands, and it's more common in people of colour because they naturally produce more melanin. It can be hardly noticeable, but some people can find it quite distressing if they get a large area of it on their face, for example. That's where Crystal Rose Skin Clinic can help. The Clinic situated in Encore Wellness, in Needham Market, Suffolk, is fully stocked with professional skincare products from the AlumierMD range which specifically targets and reduces the appearance of hyperpigmentation. I always advise my clients great skincare always starts at home with a good skin care regime and investing in skincare products aimed at targeting their specific skin concern. Chemical skin peels and Micro Needling treatments are also suited to treat skin of colour, both available at Crystal Rose Skin Clinic. Marcia's Hyperpigmentation Story I was really excited recently to be able to help a client with her first ever skin peel. The lovely Marcia had been worried about patches of hyperpigmentation for a while, and I advised using AlumierMD Pigment Solution Series products to help lighten and brighten the areas of pigmentation and even out her overall skin tone. After we'd had our consultation, Marcia who had never had a skin peel before, was treated with an AlumierMD chemical peel. Now, if you've never had anything like it before, you might be afraid that a chemical peel will leave you with red raw skin, or that you'll have to stay out of the sun for a week. Not al all - 21st century peels are really gentle. These superficial peels gently remove the top layers of dead skin, allowing the hydrating and nourishing ingredients that follow to penetrate deeper. As the peel is applied, it will probably make your skin tingle a little, but this shouldn't be painful, or cause any irritation. Marcia confessed that before her peel she was "terrified that it was going to hurt" but afterwards she admitted, "of course, i was wrong." In fact, she enjoyed it so much that she can't wait for her next treatment and has invested in a range of Alumier skincare products to help keep her skin looking great in between treatments at the Needham Market Skin Clinic. Marcia said, "the peel is painless, you just feel a bit of a sting/tingle which rises and quickly disappears leaving your skin feeling great and looking great. I love what the products have done to my skin." It's one of the best parts of my job, knowing that I've made someone feel great about themselves, and that the treatments I've given have boosted their confidence. I'm really pleased with the results of the AlumierMD chemical peel on Marcia's skin, and I'll absolutely be recommending it to any of my client's of colour who have problems with visible hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone.