Black skin care is unique, it presents its own issues, and its own good thing too! Black men for example suffer two of the most well known issues with black skin. I’m talking about “Razor bumps” and “Ingrown hair”, both of them related.
Pseudofolliculitis barbae, also called by its common name “razor bumps” present on faces who have coarse, wiry or curly hair, like… You guess black men! Did you know that around 85% of men have to deal with razor bumps everyday? Yes and this number increases everyday.
Razor bumps appear after shaving. The recent shaved hair curls back and burrows into the skin adjacent to the hair follicle. Right after shaving, the hair ends are very sharp and this facilitates the appearing of the bumps, and penetration of the skin. Then comes the nasty part: the razor bumps start itching, burning, possibly causing scarring and making shaving a next-to-impossible task. To end razor bumps many men shave tried depilatory creams, but these creams will often leave the skin with lots of irritation. Some “razor bumps cream” seem to help but on the long term the side effects catch up.
How Ingrown hairs begin
Although it is true that both men and women suffer from ingrown hairs, men tend to have it more acute because of their facial hair follicle’s coarseness and thickness
Ingrown hairs build after the hair has been recently cut. As your hair grows, it curls over inside the follicle and doesn’t make it to the surface. The result is an unsightly, “bump” on the black skin. A few razor bumps moreover form when a growing hair exits the follicle and bends back towards the skin surface. When these sharp, shaved edges of coarse hair reach the skin surface, they grow back into the skin, producing these bumpy spots.
The Way to Solve Ingrown Hair on Black Skin
The best solution for most men is the simplest one: the use of tweezers. However it is good notice that nowadays there are good products out there destined to prevent ingrown hair and thus razor bumps.
A proper shaving technique is also needed to prevent ingrown hairs and razor bumps. Here we leave you with 5 tips to star today with your black skin care for men.
1. Be sure to use a clean blade at all times. If you have a bad case of razor bumps we recommend that you use a new blade every week. Be sure to throw away safely the used ones. If you use an electric shaver, replace the rotary blades accordingly.
2. Shave following the direction the hair grows. This is very important around the neck areas since shaving against the grain is one of the main causes of pointy, sharp hairs that can grow back into the skin.
3. Avoid stretching your skin to “shave better”. This may cause darkness and discoloration of underlying skin.
4. Avoid skin irritation by eating well. Foods that contain lots of fat, oil, cholesterol or sodium make your skin prone to damage.
5. Depilatories work fast, but can produce even more irritation and redness. Remember to use an alcohol based cream to put on your face after you depilate.
When you think of skin care, naturally “man” doesn’t come to mind. The first things that come to mind when it comes to skin care are women, models, and everything to do with fashion and beauty. The truth is that many men take great pride in having healthy skin just as women do. A trip to the spa for a massage is not out of the ordinary for many men who pat themselves on the back for their impeccable manicures and glowing skin. Black men have to pay special attention to their skin because they are more prone to ingrown hair, dark circles, keloids, and dry skin.
Ingrown Hair Problems
Black men with more coarse hair are susceptible to ingrown hair and razor bumps. Ingrown hairs can be painful and can result in infection or even permanent scarring. This is less common in men with fairer skin or hair that is not as coarse.
To relieve this problem, men should use a facial cleanser before shaving (glycolic). Exfoliation with a cleanser should soften the skin to allow for easier removal if you’re brave enough to do so with a good pair of tweezers.
Dark Circles
Many men suffer from those “crescent” shaped dark circles under their eyes. While in Caucasians, this is normally due to a lack of sleep, veins being exposed through delicate skin, or allergies, for many black males this is due to superficial pigmentation.
There are a variety of treatments available including creams to lighten the area, laser resurfacing, or even surgery to remove the excess skin. Creams may remove the discoloration, but not the puffiness, and surgery will remove the puffiness, but not the discoloration.
Some men turn to eye creams containing shea butter, which has shown to reduce skin discolorations and diminish fine lines. Others resort to foundation made for men to even out the skin tone and some just live with it.
Dry Skin
This certainly is not a condition that black men alone deal with, but dry skin can give a dusty appearance to darker skin tones. If you suffer from dry skin, a moisturizer is highly recommended.
Keloids
Often confused with cancer, keloids are masses of scar tissue, which can occur after a cut or infection. It can also result from acne that is irritated. Black men are more prone to keloids because their skin has a significant amount of melanin.
Normal treatment for keloids is cortisone or interferon injections. Cryosurgery or laser resurfacing is also an option. To reduce the formation of keloids, it is recommended that you treat any cuts or abrasions immediately. A visit to your physician is also recommended if you notice any abnormal skin discoloration.
No matter the color, men have to take special care of their skin in order to keep it vibrant and healthy.
By: Alan King
Black skin care is unique, it presents its own issues, and its own good thing too! Black men for example suffer two of the most well known issues with black skin. I’m talking about “Razor bumps” and “Ingrown hair”, both of them related.
Pseudofolliculitis barbae, also called by its common name “razor bumps” present on faces who have coarse, wiry or curly hair, like… You guess black men! Did you know that around 85% of men have to deal with razor bumps everyday? Yes and this number increases everyday.
Razor bumps appear after shaving. The recent shaved hair curls back and burrows into the skin adjacent to the hair follicle. Right after shaving, the hair ends are very sharp and this facilitates the appearing of the bumps, and penetration of the skin. Then comes the nasty part: the razor bumps start itching, burning, possibly causing scarring and making shaving a next-to-impossible task. To end razor bumps many men shave tried depilatory creams, but these creams will often leave the skin with lots of irritation. Some “razor bumps cream” seem to help but on the long term the side effects catch up.
How Ingrown hairs begin
Although it is true that both men and women suffer from ingrown hairs, men tend to have it more acute because of their facial hair follicle’s coarseness and thickness
Ingrown hairs build after the hair has been recently cut. As your hair grows, it curls over inside the follicle and doesn’t make it to the surface. The result is an unsightly, “bump” on the black skin. A few razor bumps moreover form when a growing hair exits the follicle and bends back towards the skin surface. When these sharp, shaved edges of coarse hair reach the skin surface, they grow back into the skin, producing these bumpy spots.
The Way to Solve Ingrown Hair on Black Skin
The best solution for most men is the simplest one: the use of tweezers. However it is good notice that nowadays there are good products out there destined to prevent ingrown hair and thus razor bumps.
A proper shaving technique is also needed to prevent ingrown hairs and razor bumps. Here we leave you with 5 tips to star today with your black skin care for men.
1. Be sure to use a clean blade at all times. If you have a bad case of razor bumps we recommend that you use a new blade every week. Be sure to throw away safely the used ones. If you use an electric shaver, replace the rotary blades accordingly.
2. Shave following the direction the hair grows. This is very important around the neck areas since shaving against the grain is one of the main causes of pointy, sharp hairs that can grow back into the skin.
3. Avoid stretching your skin to “shave better”. This may cause darkness and discoloration of underlying skin.
4. Avoid skin irritation by eating well. Foods that contain lots of fat, oil, cholesterol or sodium make your skin prone to damage.
5. Depilatories work fast, but can produce even more irritation and redness. Remember to use an alcohol based cream to put on your face after you depilate.
By: Paolo Basauri