or "skin care for men of color"
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 By James Whittall
MenEssentials President
Published June 2002
Two months ago, we sponsored a promotion for three skin care sports kits. Contestants answered a few questions about our site — specifically, what they would do to improve it — and we automatically entered their names in the draw.
Of the several thousand entries we received, only a handful truly stood out from the others. One contestant asked for more nude photos of Sandra Bullock — a laudable suggestion, many guys would agree, but impractical for just about every reason you can imagine. Another recommended that we offer our products for free. (I'm a generous guy, but that's pushing it.) A third fellow complained that we didn't carry any lines for men of color.
This last one stuck with me, because I hadn't really thought of our collection as exclusive to one race over another. Looking at our site with fresh eyes, it became apparent that we didn't actually promote the concept of inclusion. And in many instances that's as good as ignoring an important market segment, altogether.
It's true that our collection is ideally suited for men of all ethnic origins. But guys with darker complexions have very specific skin care needs. It's time we discussed those in detail.
Sun Care
For obvious reasons, skin cancer rates are 20 times higher among Caucasians than among people with dark skin. However, as a man of color, that doesn't automatically mean you're exempt from sun damage.
On the contrary, without protection your skin will fry too. If you plan to spend any amount of time under the sun, slap on some SPF 15 sunscreen. Tightly woven fabrics are also a good defense against burning. Make sure your clothing is of appropriate density to resist those rays.
Ingrown Hair
Because of the coil-like structure of their hair, black men are particularly susceptible to excruciating ingrowns and razor bumps. This problem was widespread enough 20 years ago that the US military revised its personal hygiene codes, for the first time permitting African American soldiers to grow full beards rather than to shave.
Ingrown hairs in black men can often cause extreme pain, severe infection, and even scarring. They're also fairly tenacious little buggers, and harder to extract than ingrowns in men with straight hair and fairer complexions.
To successfully dislodge ingrown hairs, use a glycolic facial cleanser or polishing scrub before you shave. Also, you might have to get out the tweezers and extract them by hand. A good exfoliation with the cleanser or scrub should make that goal infinitely easier to achieve.
Dark Circles
Lots of guys have "dark circles" (crescents, actually) under their eyes. For Caucasians, dark circles are caused either by lack of sleep, allergies, or veins showing through the delicate skin that surrounds the orbital bone.
For many dark-skinned males, the root cause is superficial pigmentation. Treatments for this condition include laser resurfacing and blepharoplasty — under-eye surgery that removes fatty tissue and excess skin. (If you've read any of my other articles, then you already know what I think of cosmetic surgery.) Neither procedure removes pigmentation, but the smoother under-eye skin will make dark circles less noticeable.
There are also a variety of lightening creams to treat superficial pigmentation. Consult with a dermatologist before you invest in this option.
Less intrusive — and less expensive — treatments include men's foundation powder to even skin tone.
Look also for eye creams that contain shea butter — a substance made from the nut of the Mangifolia tree in Central Africa. Recently introduced as a cosmetic ingredient, shea butter is known to reduce skin discolorations, restore skin tone, and diminish fine lines.
Dry Skin
This is the bane of many people's existences, regardless of race. But dry skin can make black men appear ashen.
If you have dry skin and don't suffer from acne, try a top-quality moisturizer for your face and body. If you have dry skin that's complicated with acne, talk to a dermatologist.
Keloids
Sometimes confused with skin cancer, keloids are actually masses of scar tissue that can appear after a cut, sore, infection, or acne blemish heals. Black men get keloids with relative ease, because their skins contain significant amounts of dark pigmentation called melanin.
Unfortunately, there are no creams to lighten keloids or concealer cosmetics to hide them. Standard treatment for existing scars involves cortisone or interferon injections, cryosurgery, or laser resurfacing. But don't get your hopes up: surgery always involves a healing process, and this is precisely what causes keloids, in the first place.
For fresh cuts and abrasions, Brave Soldier Antiseptic Healing Ointment can significantly reduce the formation of keloids. But you must treat the wound when it occurs and not after a scab forms.
If you suspect keloids, see a dermatologist immediately. (In fact, you should see a doctor about any unusual skin discoloration). Early prevention is still the best treatment.
Are there skin care products for Black men? Yes! Check out African Male by MenEssentials.
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