Choosing a Skin Tightening Procedure Based on the Color of Your Skin
It might sound strange, but the color of your skin can actually have a huge impact on the results you could get from certain skincare procedures. So, if you want to tighten up your skin, it’s important to understand what role skin color plays in that process.
What is Different About Different Skin Colors
There are a couple things that are different about different skin colors. First of all, those with darker skin also tend to have larger glands that produce natural skin oils. A little oil is a good thing, but too much oil can lead to things like acne outbreaks.
Second, the way in which melanin is distributed varies from one skin color to another. Melanin is the substance that gives your skin its distinctive shade. It is made by things called melanocytes, which sit below the surface of your skin. Any skin procedure that can damage or disrupt melanocytes is generally bad for those with darker skin because it can lead to lighter colored patches of skin in the treated area. With all of that in mind, here are some of the top skin tightening procedures, which skin colors they’re best for, and why.
Laser Procedures Are Usually Better for Light Colored Skin
The skincare treatment equipment that produces laser beam treatments used on peoples skin in clinical settings is very precise. It is often designed specifically to target dark areas against a light background. That makes it excellent for treating scars, and even removing unwanted hair, on light-skinned people’s bodies. But on darker skinned people the lasers may not be able to target the problem areas as well.
Another conflict that many darker-skinned people have during laser treatments is that their skin tends to have more oil. When the heat from the lasers meets that oil, it’s a recipe for burns and blisters. Those burns and blisters, aside from being painful at the time, can also cause temporary or permanent scarring to occur on the patient’s skin.
Radio Frequency and Ultrasound Treatments Can be Used on All Skin Colors
Unlike some lasers, radio frequencies aren’t usually meant to be surface treatments. They actually bypass the layers of skin where the melanocytes and oil glands live. So, even though they heat up skin cells, they aren’t the cells that can cause pigment problems or burns. That makes them safe treatments for all skin colors.
Similarly, Radio frequency & cavitation equipment uses sound wave beams that get down into deeper tissues. So, if your skin is dark, you don’t have to worry about ultrasound beams causing discoloration. They have little or no impact on the outer layer of your skin. Of course, since the repairs are done from the inside out, it will take time before you see any difference after an ultrasound or radio frequency treatment.
Microdermabrasion Can be Done on All Skin Colors, But Beware
Microdermabrasion is a process where a tool tipped with diamonds or crystals basically sands the skin. The objective is to remove the top layer of skin in the treatment area. Sometimes that’s done on a large section of skin. Other times it can be an effective way of lightening or removing a scar.
Although it is possible for anyone to have a microdermabrasion treatment done, there are two major risks for darker skinned people. The first is that it could irritate the oil glands, releasing more oil and causing pimples or full blown acne outbreaks. The second is that there is a slight risk of discoloring the skin, especially if your technician isn’t properly trained and experienced with treating darker complexions.
