Asian Acne Treatment

If you are Asian and you suffer from acne, is there a special way or specific Asian acne treatment you should be looking at?

According to IMS Health, a healthcare information service provider, there are 460 million Asian acne sufferers with more than 90% being teenagers. It does not mean adults are exempt from them – in fact, Asian women are more likely than Asian men to suffer adult acne.

So is there a difference between Caucasian and Asian skin when it comes to acne?

Unfortunately yes and Asians tend to suffer more from the condition than their European or American counterparts.

This is due to a higher level of melanin production.

What is melanin?

According to MedicineNet.com

“Melanin: A skin pigment (substance that gives the skin its color). Dark-skinned people have more melanin than light- skinned people. Melanin also acts as a sunscreen and protects the skin from ultraviolet light.

Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes. It provides some protection again skin damage from the sun, and the melanocytes increase their production of melanin in response to sun exposure. Freckles, which occur in people of all races, are small, concentrated areas of increased melanin production.”

Hyperpigmentation

This higher concentration of melanin is also called hyperpigmentation, which can manifest themselves as freckles, sun spots and age spots.

“In fact, even among Asians, acne-related hyperpigmentation is more common in darker-skinned Asians”, said aesthetic physician Dr Nicholas Ngui from the DRx Clinic.

Add to the fact that Asians has a higher tendency to develop the thick tissue keloid scars in addition to the pitted and indented scars from acne and you are left wondering whether anything can be done.

Dr. Ngui has this suggestion :

“Scarring develops when the skin is so damaged by acne inflammation that it cannot regenerate normally, and is replaced by fibrous scar tissue. So curbing the acne inflammation as quickly as possible can prevent or minimize irreversible damage to the skin.”

Unfortunately, most people will try and deal with it themselves with over the counter acne products or home acne remedies before seeking professional help. By which time, the damage is already evident.

“For people at risk of hyperpigmentation, the faster you treat the acne, the better. When you start getting scars from acne, it can become a real catastrophe,” said Dr Pawin.

And this could mean depression and psychological issues.

A study in Hong Kong showed that out of the 90% teenage Asian acne sufferers, more than 26% were psychologically disturbed by their acne skin and almost  83% were bothered by their blemished appearance.

Bottom line – Don’t wait. Seek appropriate professional Asian acne treatment as soon as you can

 You can read the original article here