Darker skin ages differently than lighter skin. In general, wrinkles and fine lines develop later in life and as the famous saying goes “Black don’t crack”. However, the skin is more prone to pigmentation issues, specifically hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation. Therefore, an effective anti-aging treatment for dark skin primarily needs to focus on helping the skin combat pigmentation concerns.
“Black don’t crack”
According to a study conducted by the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, the source of the resilience of darker skin lies in the bones. Black people are born with denser bones in their faces which don’t break down as quickly as Caucasian bones. Specifically, the cheekbones and the bone between the eyes are especially strong. As a result, “Black faces maintain structural support for a longer period of time” and the facial skin looks younger for longer.
Another major factor that makes darker skin age more gracefully is that it has more melanin in it. Melanin is the pigment that determines the color of our skin, hair and eyes. The darker your skin tone is, the more melanin it has. Melanin plays a major role in limiting skin aging caused by the sun’s UV rays. It absorbs the light and prevents it from damaging other skin cells. As a result, darker skin tones have fewer wrinkles, brown spots, and visible blood vessels.
Lastly, very dark skin tends to be oiler, and the oil protects it from dryness and wrinkles. According to dermatologist Seemal Desai, M.D., president of the Skin of Color Society, “African-American skin tends to have more sebum or oil content; some of that contains natural moisturizing factor so all of that can play a role into the look and aesthetics of the skin because it’s less likely to be dry”
Dealing with unwanted pigmentation
There are two major types of unwanted pigmentation- hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation.
Hyperpigmentation– Hyperpigmentation occurs when the body produces too much melanin. As a result, dark patches appear on the facial skin. Even though dark skin is less sensitive to UV rays than fair skin, it is still susceptible to sun damage! In dark skin, hyperpigmentation frequently results in dark spots forming on the cheeks and lower face. The spots worsen over time and contribute to an uneven complexion. Therefore, it is very important to wear sunscreen and shade your face from the sun.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation – A subcategory of hyperpigmentation is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). In these cases, the skin is injured which causes it to become inflamed. The inflammation triggers the production of melanin, and the area of the injury becomes darker. Unfortunately, the dark spots remain long after the injury has healed. Dark skin is more prone to PIH than lighter skin and therefore dark-skinned individuals need to be very careful when treating cuts, acne, eczema flare-up, rashes and the like. Also, people with dark skin tones need to be especially careful of PIH caused by laser treatments such as hair removal and skin tightening.
Image courtesy of Kylie Aquino
Hypopigmentation– Hypopigmentation is a skin condition in which patches of skin become lighter because of a deficiency in melanin. Hypopigmentation varies from small, white marks on the skin to large patches that are noticeably lighter than the rest of the skin. Dark skinned individuals are more prone to hypopigmentation than lighter skinned individuals. Vitiligo is a common type of hypopigmentation.
Post-inflammatory hypopigmentation: Post-inflammatory hypopigmentation occurs when the skin is inflamed due to trauma. During the healing process the pigmented cells are damaged or destroyed. There can be many causes- a pimple, cut or even a scrape.
Image courtesy of Produnis / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
The NowMi anti-aging treatment for dark skin
The NowMi treatment is an advanced skincare solution that slows down the signs of aging. The treatment performs 4 skin actions- exfoliation, nourishment, oxygenation and protection. Best of all, the treatment can be performed at home and takes only 5 minutes!
During the NowMi treatment, the skin is nourished with vitamin C, E and Hyaluronic acid. Vitamin C plays a key role in the functioning of melanin. It has been shown regulate the production of melanin in the skin and thus limit the formation of dark spots. Furthermore, vitamin C is important in the synthesis of new collagen which enables the skin to rejuvenate and repair itself.
Importantly, vitamin C and E have anti-inflammatory properties. This means that when the skin is injured, they reduce inflammation and limit post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation. Vitamin E is also known for reducing the formation of scars.
Hyaluronic acid is incremental in hydrating the skin. It is able to hold 1,000 times its weight in water and helps the skin look plump and supple. In darker-skinned individuals, skin dryness often results in the skin looking ashy or gray and the Hyaluronic acid restores it to its natural complexion.
In order to ensure that all of the active ingredients optimally penetrate the skin, the skin is exfoliated, and its outermost layer is removed. The exfoliation deeply cleanses the skin and gets rid of all dead skin cells, dirt and makeup. Furthermore, the NowMi treatment uses sonic energy which significantly increases the effectiveness of the cleansing action and verifies that each pore is thoroughly cleansed.
Once the nutrients penetrate the skin, they are absorbed by the skin’s cells. To maximize the absorption process, the cells are oxygenated. This is done by using a scientific principle called the Bohr effect. The principle states that when the body is bombarded by an excess amount of carbon dioxide, it counters this by sending oxygen rich blood cells to the area. Therefore, during the NowMi treatment, a chemical reaction is created on the skin’s surface which results in the formation of millions of micro carbon dioxide bubbles. The body then sends in oxygenated cells to negate this effect. The process is completely natural and painless.
One of the most important benefits of the NowMi anti-aging treatment for dark skin is protection. By infusing the skin with vitamin C and E, the skin can protect itself from damage caused by the sun and other extrinsic factors such as pollution and smoke. Vitamin C and E are powerful antioxidants which help the skin fight free radicals. Free radicals are unstable atoms that cause cell damage and death and are the primary cause of premature skin aging.
Summary
Dark skin is more prone to hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation which age the skin. By infusing the skin with vitamin C, E and Hyaluronic acid it can better manage the production of melanin and repair damage caused by it. With the NowMi treatment you can slow down the signs of aging and enjoy even-textured skin that has a youthful and natural glow.