Cosmetic Treatments Ideal For Darker Skin Tones
In a recent article, we spoke about the latest cosmetic evolutions in the last decade. (Read the blog here- Top Cosmetic Evolutions Of The Last Decade).
In today’s article, we will help to educate you further about the various cosmetic treatment procedures that are suitable for darker skin tones.
In today's time, with the advancement in medical technologies, there are lots of cosmetic treatments that are available in the market. They tend to work well for light skin tones however the same results cannot be achieved for black, brown, or olive skin tones. At times such cosmetic treatment can lead to hyperpigmentation in darker skin tones, which is not the preferred outcome.
Few cosmetic treatments that are ideal for dark skin tones are as follow-
Chemical Peels
Chemical peeling is a method of targeted cutaneous chemo-exfoliation by specific caustic agents that allows for a rapid, predictable, and uniform thickness of exfoliation to a desired cutaneous depth, ultimately resulting in an improved overall appearance of skin. The main aim of a chemical peel procedure is to remove a uniform thickness of damaged and aged skin in a controlled manner and subsequently allow for normal wound healing and skin rejuvenation to occur. The aesthetic practitioner needs to be in control of the exfoliation and inflammation to minimize complications, such as scarring and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This cosmetic procedure is ideal for all skin types, even darker tones.
Micro-needling
During the micro-needling treatment procedure, a pen-like device with a head made up of several tiny needles is used. This device vibrates powerfully and quickly, enabling it to puncture the dermis (superficial layer of the skin) several times in a few seconds. It touches the dermis just enough to spur the body to heal itself and produce collagen, which, in turn, results in a more even and rejuvenated skin.
Microneedling is relatively safer for darker skin tones because the microscopic punctures from the device are minor and do not tend to cut into the dermis. However, when cut into the dermis, it causes a cut deep enough to create scarring, which can be especially problematic for dark skin tones. Hence, proper knowledge and caution are required by the aesthetic practitioner.
Laser Treatments
Not all laser and light therapies are safe for all skin tones. Generally speaking, those who fall above type IV on the Fitzpatrick Skin Phototype scale, the go-to measure of skin type for dermatologists, need to be careful when choosing a treatment.
When it comes to refining skin tone and texture, non-ablative picosecond and Q-switched lasers are the way to go for darker complexions and there have been some notable technological advances in the last decade.
Q-Switch Laser is a type of non-ablative laser that gives out laser beams in pulses per nanosecond, around 3-7 nanoseconds in length. When focused on a targeted area of the skin, the beams work to destroy the overproduced pigments into smaller particles. These particles are then absorbed by the body and later released by the immune system as waste.
The most commonly used Q-switch laser is the double frequency NdYAG laser, which has two wavelengths – a longer wavelength of 1064 nm and a shorter wavelength of 532 nm. It is commonly used to treat various pigmentary disorders and for tattoo removal along with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, melasma, and acquired bilateral nevus of Ota-like macules with minimal downtime and no crust formation.
The pico or picosecond laser is a revolutionary laser technology due to its much-shortened pulse duration. Similarly, there are few pico lasers with wavelength such as Ruby (694 nm), Alexandrite (755nm), and NdYAG at 1064 nm. The speed of the energy-charged light beams emitted by the Picosecond lasers is faster than nanosecond Q-switched lasers by almost 10 times – after the term Picoseconds. A picosecond is a unit of time – which is a trillionth of a second. The pulses of laser light are so quick, they are very effective at shattering unwanted pigmentation into smaller particles.
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion, commonly known as “power peel”, involves using tiny crystals that are sprayed on the skin, which helps treat superficial skin problems like fine lines, dull skin, brown spots, mild acne scars, age spots, and sun-damaged layers of skin.
Rather than a high-speed brush, microdermabrasion tends to use aluminum oxide crystals that are passed with the help of a vacuum tube to exfoliate the overall outer surface skin. Only the very superficial cells of the skin are removed as a result no additional wound is created and requires minimal or almost no downtime.
When the tip of the handpiece is placed on the surface of the skin and the system is activated, the handpiece gently pulls the skin in. The power line projects the aluminum oxide crystals onto the skin surface through one opening. These abrade the skin surface and the used crystals along with the epidermal debris and grime are collected by the tubings of the suction system through another opening housed in the tip of the same handpiece; thus establishing a close circuit loop of continuous flow and collection simultaneously.
It is prudent that all Aesthetic practitioners must undergo proper training in Aesthetic medicine. The practitioner must balance between benefits & risks of the Aesthetic procedure, and steps to mitigate complications, if it occurs. At IIWAM, we call it, understanding the procedure, the product, and the patient, and our trainers pay utmost attention to teaching Aesthetic Medicine very seriously.
Assoc. Prof Dr. Morthy, the lead trainer, medical director of the International Institute of Wellness & Aesthetic Medicine (IIWAM), makes sure that all the students obtain the proper skills under the best cosmetic dermatology online courses, so that all the patients are safe, which is of prime importance.
About IIWAM Aesthetic Education
At IIWAM, we provide an International Aesthetic Certification program and also Advanced Online Aesthetic Courses for Doctors, Dentists, Nurses, Aestheticians, and Spa Owners in the field of Aesthetic Medicine.
Our Institute is based in Malaysia and has international students from the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, and other parts of Asia. With our insignia of “Be Certified, Be Recognized”, we develop knowledgeable, skilled, and confident Aesthetic practitioners of international repute. Our Aesthetic training focuses on teaching the principles of Aesthetic procedures before venturing into Aesthetic clinical skills. IIWAM training Programs are a combination of Onsite Training, LIVE Online Webinars, and Online Learning. IIWAM is the first Institute in the World to have its Programs assured by City & Guilds of London and certified by European International University. IIWAM is also a registered CPD Training provider with CPD Standards Office in the UK and by CPD Malaysian Medical Association.
Onboard is our Assoc. Prof Dr. Morthy, the lead trainer, medical director of the International Institute of Wellness & Aesthetic Medicine (IIWAM), formerly known as Aesthetic Academy Asia (http://www.iiwam.ac/).
In the Aesthetic part of our Institute, we provide Advanced Aesthetic Medical Procedures that are Safe, Effective, and Affordable, offering a wide range of specialized treatments for All Your Aesthetic Needs.