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The human world
comprises people of many ethnic groups and cultures with each
ethnic group having certain general characteristics with respect
to eye, hair and skin color.
For example, central and northern Europeans tend
more towards fair skin, hair and eye color, while southern Europeans
tend to have dark hair, brown eyes and darker, olive skin tones.
People of African and Australian aboriginal decent have very
dark or almost black skin, usually dark or black hair and brown
eyes, whilst people of Asian decent have a yellowish skin tone
and can have brown or blue eyes but have mostly dark or black
hair. Those of American-Indian decent have more reddish tones
to skin and hair with brown eyes. Why do people have different
skin colors?
The reason people
have different skin colors is because there are three main pigments
that give human skin a wide variety of colors: melanin, carotene
and hemoglobin. Melanin is mostly located in the epidermis of
the skin, carotene is mostly in the dermis and hemoglobin is
in red blood cells within the capillaries in the dermis.
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Melanin, a naturally occurring
sun-block that protects our skin cells from the harmful effects
of ultra-violet radiation from the sun, is produced from the
amino acid tyrosine by special cells called melanocytes. The
production of melanin is controlled by an enzyme called tyrosinase
and is stimulated by exposure to sunlight. People whose melanocytes
do not produce very much tyrosinase will most likely have fair
skin and will not tan easily. Some people inherit an inability
to produce melanin because their melanocytes cannot make the
enzyme tyrosinase and these people have a condition known as
albinism.
How Do
Skin Pigments Work?
Carotene, the
same pigment that is found in egg yolks and yellow, orange and
red vegetables and fruits, is a precursor of Vitamin A synthesis.
People of Asian and American-Indian ancestry have more carotene
in the stratum corneum and fatty areas of the dermis and subcutaneous
tissue.
The epidermis of
fair skinned people is translucent, thus the pinkish tones seen
in Caucasians is due to the presence of the pigment haemoglobin,
an iron-based oxygen-carrying molecule in red blood cells.
The relative proportions of these
pigments give us the variations we see in skin colour: more melanin
will give darker brown to black skin tones, more carotene is
responsible for the yellow to reddish tones and the hemoglobin
gives red to pinkish tones.
We
know that genetics have a major influence on our skin colour,
skin resilience and vulnerability to certain skin problems. In
addition, people with a lot of body hair, often have a greater
tendency to oily skin and blocked secretory glands resulting
in pimples and other similar skin conditions. On the other hand,
people with red hair and very fair skin, have less of a problem
with oily skin, but tend to burn easily in the sun and thus stand
a greater risk of developing skin cancer.
Below are some generalized characteristics of various
skin types from different genetic backgrounds:
Skin Characteristics of people with Anglo-Saxon
origins
Fair, dry thin-skinned
Scars heal well
Signs of
aging appear earlier
Burn easily in the sun
Bruising more obvious
Greater
chance of skin cancer
Skin
Characteristics of people with Southern Mediterranean origins
Oily, olive dark complexion
Signs of aging appear later
Cartilage
tends to droop
Darker, thicker scars more common
Wrinkles appear later and in more localized
areas
Skin cancer rare
Skin Characteristics of people with Northern
European origins / German and Scandinavian
Fair, blue-eyed, blonde
Thin
skin
Scars heal well
Signs
of aging appear early
Bruising more obvious
Greater chance of skin cancer
Skin Characteristics of people with Southern
European origins
Dark,
oily brunette complexion
Signs of aging appear
later
Fine wrinkling less common
Bruising
lasts longer
Scars may be thicker and darker
Skin cancers less common
Skin Characteristics of people with Northern
European/Irish and northern England
Ruddy freckled complexion
Red
hair
Scars usually thin
Signs
of aging appear later
Bruises easily
Pigmentation problems
Skin cancers
most common in this type
Skin
Characteristics of people with African origins
Signs of aging appear very late
Very
little fine wrinkling
Formation of keloids
is possible
Pigmentation changes may occur
Thicker cartilage hard to change
Skin
cancers very rare
Genetically,
this skin type is less susceptible to damage from UV radiation,
although the skin can still get burned.
Skin Characteristics of people with Asian origins
Signs of aging appear late
Fine wrinkling does not usually occur
Pigmentation changes may occur
Eyelid
surgery more difficult
Skin cancers very rare
Do these ethnically different
skin types require a different approach to skin care?
The answer is ‘to some extent, yes’ but
on closer analysis we will see that there is very little difference
between black, brown, yellow, red and white skin types!
Within each of these groups,
there is a wide range in skin tones and overlap from group to
group. For example, white skin may range from alabaster white
to deep olive tones; black skin may range from light tan to almost
ebony black; Asian skin from light yellow to deep tan; and in
American-Indian and Inuit skin, various tones of reddish brown.
These differences are caused by the concentration of melanin
and proportional contribution of the other pigments in the skin.
People of different races
have the same number of melanocytes but they are more active
in dark-skinned people. Oil glands tend to be more numerous and
large in black skin, and follicles tend to be larger, so black
skin tends toward oiliness, although it is less acne-prone. The
darker the skin the more protection melanin provides from ultra-violet
rays of the sun and from premature aging and stays younger-looking
longer.
It becomes obvious
very quickly that we are all very different and have various
advantages and disadvantages specific to our skin type, depending
on our genetic predisposition. However, the overall structures
and functions of skin are very similar irrespective of color
and are therefore cared for in very similar ways. Knowing your
skin’s particular strengths and weaknesses, you can tailor
your skin care approach to your particular skin-characteristics.
Classic Skin Type
Categories
For the
purpose of better understanding the care your skin requires,
a ‘Skin Type Classification System’ has been devised
and developed over the years. The basic skin types are generally
described as oily, dry, normal, sensitive, mature or a combination
of these. A brief description of each of the skin types and what
you need to be aware of in order to balance your skin is given
below to provide you with approaches to natural skin care which
help you make the correct choices for your particular skin.
Skin Types: Normal, Dry,
Oily, Combination, Dull or Mature
Normal skin type
Normal skin is smooth, finely-textured, soft and
supple. If you are lucky enough to possess this skin type, treasure
it by using light cleansers and lotions and mild toners and fresheners.
Dry skin type
Dry skin is usually thin and
delicate and often flaky and prone to fine lines. It sometimes
feels tighter than it should. Extremely rich and greasy creams
are not good for it because they block the pores, often enlarging
them and so creating an extra problem. Use light oils and lotions
when moisturising and choose herbal toners, which are mild and
not too astringent. Try to restore the pH or acid-alkali balance
with the application of such things as cucumber juice or diluted
vinegar so that the sebaceous glands are encouraged to function.
Generally speaking, the emollient
and hydrating herbs (chamomile, comfrey, cowslip, elderflower,
fennel, marshmallow, orange blossom, rose, violet) are the best
to use in lotions and toners for dry skin. But there is no hard
and fast rule. Astringent herbs can be good for dry skins, for
example, if blended with emollient herbs or oils and gels, and
many herbs are suitable for all skin types. If the skin is sensitive
as well as dry, see the section on sensitive skin below.
Oily skin type
Oily skin is shiny and coarser-textured,
often with enlarged pores. It is prone to blackheads and spots.
Don't use alcohol to reduce the oiliness of the skin, as it will
only worsen the problem. Many herbal toners are suitable for
reducing oiliness and tightening the pores (see list of suitable
herbs below). Egg-white makes a nice mild face-mask. Don't over-dry
the skin; moisturize with a light lotion. Aim to restore your
skin's acid-alkali balance so that the sebaceous glands cease
to produce such large amounts of oil.
Astringent and cleansing herbs are generally the
best to choose when treating an oily skin. These are: cinquefoil,
clary sage, comfrey, cucumber, dandelion, horsetail, houseleek,
hyssop, lavender, lemon balm, lemongrass, lemon verbena, marigold,
mint, parsley, sage, witch hazel and yarrow. But don’t forget
that many herbs are suited to all skin types and that many of
the strengthening and anti-inflammatory herbs (chamomile, cowslip,
fennel, lettuce, elderflower, orange blossom, rose, violet) are
suitable for oily skins.
Combination
skin types
The person
with this skin type will have to follow two skin-care routines,
one for the dry areas, and another for the oily. I think the
oily areas balance up more easily in this type of skin than when
the whole face is oily, so don't despair.
Sensitive skin type
This skin is usually fine-textured and often prone
to reddish veins and patches. Keep to light oils and lotions
for cleansing and moisturising, and mild herbal toners and compresses
to soothe the skin and reduce redness and veins. It is usually
wise for people with sensitive skins to stay away from the stimulating
herbs (lavender, lime-flower, mint, nettle, sage, southernwood,
summer savory, thyme).
Dull skin
Dull skin has lost the bloom of vitality and the
soft glow of renewal, the acid balance has been lost and it looks
matt and lifeless. This condition of the skin often occurs during
or following severe illness. If it is oily or large-pored skin
use diluted cider vinegar or lemon juice, or cucumber juice to
balance it or if dry skin, use buttermilk or cucumber juice,
together with a highly nutritious diet.
Mature skin type
It is possible to tone, soften and restore older
skin to much of its former freshness. The skin has wonderful
regeneration abilities, given the right support. Use a light
hand with makeup if you must use it, as this tends to further
dry and age mature skin. Of course, exercise, good nutrition,
adequate rest/relaxation and a positive outlook on life all help
the restoration process.
Other
Factors that can influence you skin
The foundation of healthy, beautiful skin is diet.
Are you getting sufficient polyunsaturated fats? These are essential
to a healthy skin and do not cause facial oiliness. They are
found in cereal grains, nuts and cold pressed nut and vegetable
oils.
Plenty of vitamin C
is fundamental to a beautiful skin, because this vitamin helps
to build collagen and elastin, the bonding and structural substances
which give tone and resilience. Eat bean sprouts, green and red
peppers, black currants, oranges and lemons. Then there are guavas
and rosehips, so your diet need not be restricted or dull. There
is infinite variety to suit every palate.
Lack of vitamin A can cause dryness of the skin.
Eat dandelion, parsley, watercress, carrots, pumpkins, celeriac.
If your skin is unbalanced,
either flaky or too oily, or if your lips peel, then check your
intake of vitamin B foods. Oats, years, bran, goat's milk, whole
rice, sunflower seeds, sprouted seeds and grains are some of
the sources.
Caring
For Your Skin on a Daily Basis
Looking after the body’s largest and arguably
one of the body’s most complex organs needs to become one
of your daily routines.
Firsly,
you need to adopt a regular, structured skin care regime of exfoliating,
cleansing, toning and moisturizing. There is no way around it.
Secondly, if you have combination
skin, you may need to look at two different types of products
to treat your different skin types. For example you may have
both dry, sensitive skin and oily skin. That simply means you
need to treat the sensitive skin with one set of products and
the oily skin with a second set of products.
The next thing you need to consider is what you
put into your body. Yes, here it comes - diet. Rather than promote
any particular diet or tell you whether to eat high protein or
low carb or what ever-diet, suffice it to say that if you keep
your food as unprocessed as possible, as fresh as possible and
as varied as possible - you will have a good diet and the foods
you’re eating are helping you to correct the imbalance of
your skin type.
The nutrients
in your food will be reflected in your skin - eat processed,
high fat foods and you guessed it - your skin will reflect 'what
you eat'. This also includes adequate hydration: water is the
basic ingredient required for all the chemical reactions that
occur in body cells and for effective removal of waste products.
Don’t forget about exercise:
swimming, walking, using the stairs instead of the lift at the
office and using your feet when using the car is not absolutely
necessary. It's not that hard, it just takes a bit of will power
and knowing that increasing your blood circulation by doing those
little things regularly will keep you healthier for longer. Even
mild exercise, has a beneficial effect on not only blood circulation
around the body but also on the lymphatic system. The lymphatic
system assists the removal of waste products and excess fluids
from the tissues and prevents the condition commonly known as
cellulite or ‘orange-peel’ skin.
So there it is…no matter who you are, what
skin color or skin type you possess…look after your skin
using natural
skin care products and it will look after you! |
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Author: |
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Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor
of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan,
a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products
by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined
expertise with you. They practice Herbal and Chinese medicine at their Wildcrafted
Cottage Clinic. |
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© Wildcrafted Herbal Products
2009 |
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Article Posted: November 1, 2009 |
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