Hello Interloper!
Menu
Darker skin tones absorb 30 to 40% more UV (UltraViolet) light better than lighter skin making darker skin less likely to get sunburn. Darker skin tones need to spend much longer in the sun in order to produce the same amount of Vitamin D as lighter skin. Vitamin D is necessary to strengthen the immune system. Having more melanin makes the skin more reactive and the reason darker skins need to be treated gently
Blemishes, scratches, pimples, acne, inflammation and picking the skin can trigger the production of excess melanin, leaving dark marks and patches on the skin called Post Inflammatory HYPERpigmentation (PIH). Some darker skins may develop a loss in melanin called Post Inflammatory HYPOpigmentation due to injury or burns. In either situation, it can take many months or years to fade.
Vitiligo is the loss of melanin, it has no known cure. Vitiligo is considered to be an autoimmune disorder and can be hereditary. It is characterised by white patches of skin with sharp margins and can appear on any part of the body or face. It is much more noticeable on darker skin. The Canadian Winnie Harlow is a public spokesperson for the condition and just one of the many now sought-after and successful fashion models with vitiligo.
Melasma can be triggered by sun exposure, pregnancy, the contraceptive pill and hormones. It is a common skin condition caused by the melanocytes producing too much colour and appears as brown patches above the upper lip, bridge of the nose, cheeks and forehead.
It has the nickname “The Pregnancy Mask”. It can also be found on other parts of the body that are exposed to lots of sun. Darker skins are more prone to Melasma because of their supercharged melanocytes. Melasma can fade when any of the triggers cease. Treatment by a dermatologist can be sought if it causes anxiety.