Asian Skin – The Basics

There are millions of Asians now living in North America and like all other nationalities, these individuals also want to feel great, look young and appear beautiful. In general, Asians are individuals who are from the Orient from countries like China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and India. What should come as no surprise is that both Asian women and men want to have good looking skin.

The first thing to understand about Asians is that their skin is slightly darker in color compared to Caucasians. The reason for this is due to the increased amount of melanin in skin; melanin is a pigment made from skin cells and protects skin from excessive sunlight exposure. Overall, when one has more melanin, it tends to keep the skin looking younger, toned and wrinkle-free. Melanin has a superb ability to absorb harmful rays of sunlight. It acts by inactivating the dangerous UV rays which are known to promote premature aging, wrinkles and photo-aged skin.

However, Asians should also understand that once the capability of melanin has been overcome from excess sun exposure, skin blemishes can occur. In Asians, these skin blemishes from excess sun exposure usually present as pigmentation changes rather than premature wrinkles or lines. Asians are more prone to sun spots, liver spots and or patches of skin discoloration.

This difference is chiefly due to the much higher content of melanin, which predisposes Asians to a greater risk of hyper-pigmentation from sunlight exposure.

Another aspect of skin that is unique to Asians is that their skin is quite smooth in texture but is also very prone to irritation and acne. Asians in general need to work hard on their skin to maintain the aesthetic qualities.

Other causes of skin problems in Asians besides sun exposure include pregnancy and use of harmful synthetic skincare products.

During pregnancy, Asian women can develop skin discoloration which is known as melasma or cholasma. These brownish discolorations most often occur in women, but can also occur in men. The brown skin color is not painful nor does it itch. Melasma is most common on the face and may last for several months. Besides pregnancy, melasma can also occur in Asian women who take the birth control pill.

Another agonizing disorder which is quite common in Asians is acne. Why Asians are prone to disfiguring acne is not fully known but this has been attributed to life style and perhaps spicy food. Worse is that the acne in Asians often leaves residual scars.

Other skin problems that affect Asians include Keloids, ingrown hairs and Rosacea. Keloids are ugly looking scars that grow beyond the incision borders. The lesions are raised, irregular and create a very unpleasant aesthetic appearance. While there is no cure for Keloids, some recent treatments can decrease size of these lesions.

Asian facial skin also tends to have large pores which often reflect uneven texture or tone. To keep the skin looking even and young, daily exfoliation and use of mild chemical peels can help most individuals.

Like everyone else, Asians also develop fine lines and wrinkles. The cause of wrinkles and fine lines may be due to excess sun, smoking or simply age. In any cases, there are treatments to reverse the majority of skin blemishes in Asians.