Caring for African American skin is extremely unique, it can be thick, sensitive, oily, dry or at times a combination of all. With so many skin types, people may find trouble choosing the right moisturizer for their skin type. Though most of them have a normal skin type, yet it isn’t uncommon for them to have oily or dry skin types as well.

Dark skinned people having an oil skin type often find trouble keeping their skin healthy as their skin is likely to have more as well as larger oil glands as compared to Asian or Caucasian skin. The excessive oil glands may lead to an unwanted shiny or unwanted appearance. If the oil glands become over-active then they become clogged and lead to acne.

African American skin care is a little different from other types of skin care because of the composition of this type of skin. Acne is one of the commonest skin disorders that African Americans suffer from Treating acne may be annoying, and with inadequate treatment it will do more harm than good. Acne occurring in African American skin can be prevented by following the suggestions mentioned below:

• Don’t scrub your face while using a cleanser as it scrapes new acne open which eventually leave black heads

• Use warm water while bathing as it washes off the extra oil that leads to acne

• Opt for skincare products that meet your skin’s requirements. It would be ideal if you choose natural skin care products.

For moisturizing an acne-prone or oily skin, your first step involves in keeping your skin balanced and detoxified by drinking water in adequate amount. Next, use a soap free cleanser while cleansing your skin. After cleansing use a gentle exfoliate for exfoliating your skin. Exfoliating helps in removing dead skin cell from your skin’s surface. Use a cotton towel to pat your skin dry, followed by applying a refreshing toner. Last, apply an oil-free and hypoallergenic moisturizer on your skin. If your skin is extremely oily or prone to acne, try going for an oil-control lotion.

Dark skinned people have larger melanosomes (cells which give color to your skin) and these cells contain melanin in greater proportions as compared to the cells present in white skin. Due to this protective effect of melanin, African Americans are at a lower risk of developing premature wrinkling and skin cancer. But, African Americans are prone to dark spots from the inflammation caused due to acne scars, cut, scrapes or bruises. Dark spots generally take a prolonged period of time to fade. Bleaching agents may help in lowering dark spots but may carry adverse affects as well. It is usually advisable to avoid creams that contain hydroquinolone as this may predispose to cancer.

Aging brings with it a number of skin problems black skin is not an exception. Sunscreen is a skin care product that helps in preventing the effects of aging on African American skin. Caring for your skin is extremely important. Most dark skinned people often overlook their skin care simply because they think that due to the high amount of melanin in their skin the skin cannot be damaged. But the issue is not the damage, it is the appearance, unmoisturized dark skin usually leaves an unpleasant whitish appearance on the dark skin that shows that it needs moisturization.

In conclusion, African American skin care is easy to do if one understands their skin type and follows the instructions.