Acne in skin of color
Specialized Acne Treatment for Patients with Skin of Color
Causes & Options
Acne Center of Michigan specializes in treating acne in patients with skin of color. This includes African American descent, Middle Eastern descent, and Asian descent, among others.
When patients with skin of color present with acne, they are often more concerned with the dark spots rather than the acne pimples themselves. This is because the hyperpigmentation that develops from acne leads to an uneven skin tone which is upsetting.
In those with fair complexion, there is often persistent redness left behind after an acne lesion. However, in patients with skin of color, the pigment cells pump out too much pigment. This leaves a persistent dark reminder of the previous acne lesion.
The first step in helping these unsightly dark spots is to control the active acne and prevent new dark spots from forming. We recommend aggressive treatment with ACOM specialized topical creams and often simultaneous use of oral antibiotics to reduce the inflammation and prevent new dark spots.
Treatment of Dark Spots
Once the acne is under control, we then focus on achieving an even skin tone. The best options for dark spots:
- Triple Therapy Bleaching Cream™ – available through prescription only
- Brightening Pads for Dark Spots™ – available through our Acne Shop
- Beta lift salicylic acid peel
- VI Peel Precision plus ™
- And of course, sun protection with use of sunscreens is a must, with our preference being Elta MD Clear™
