Does skin care vary with skin color and type?

We all know that skin care depends on different types of skin, but does it depend on skin color as well? Having in mind different cultures and traditions all over the world, people are used to act according to their own customs, which can be matter of national identity. However, something that generally describes a group of people with same body characteristics is skin color.

The difference in the skin color is conditioned by three main pigments which provide human skin with the color. These pigments are known as melanin, caronete and hemoglobin. Melanin is located in the skin near the surface, carotene is in dermis and hemoglobin is deeper in red blood cells in the capillaries.

Types of pigments

Melanin is produced by cell named melanocyte and plays important part as defending system of the skin. It blocks harmful effect of UV-rays and prevents from other damages sun can cause to our organism. The higher concentration of the melanin in the skin is responsible for dark to black skin tones. Characteristics of dark-skinned people are: excessive sweating, signs of aging show up very late, more resistant to sun bad effects and low percentage of skin cancers. the Albinism is phenomenon which happens if lack of melanin is present.

Carotene, also found in red and orange vegetables and egg yolks, on the other hand, represent the storage of the vitamin A, and people with higher concentration of this pigment are, for example, Asian and American-Indian people, whose skin is slightly yellowish. Their skin is usually sensitive, prone to burns in the sun, signs of aging are visible in later ages and pigmentation changes can be present. Their hair is usually black.

Caucasian people have reddish complexion, due to participation of the hemoglobin ( the substance which transfers oxygen through the blood). Some characteristics of Caucasian people’s complexion are: visible signs of aging of the skin in middle ages, light to brown hair colours, proneness to appearances of bruises, more sensitive skin, easy to burn in the sun and so on.

Treating of the different types of the skin

There are some general rules about how skin should be treated, depending on its condition (whether its oily, normal, dry or combined). When it’s the word about skin colors there are also some advises which can come in handy. For example it is good to know that dark skin produces more oil, which results in pimple appearance. Therefore dark skinned people should avoid using creams and lotions based on oils.

On the other hand, skin of the Caucasians is usually dry and demands usage of moisturizing products, because dehydrated skin causes forming of the wrinkles. It is good to remember that it is not a general rule that Caucasians have dry skin and this is just example of majority.

Combined skin type is very common both with dark and white skins. Treatment for this kind of skin considers combination of oil-free products with moisturizers, so that both oily and dry surfaces are cared for.