People with dark skin should be cautious before undergoing non-invasive skin procedures

People having dark skin have some benefits such as, the extra melanin gives sun protection and slows the signs of aging, but also is more sensitive and vulnerable to injury. If the skin is darker it is prone to scarring and hyper-pigmentation, according to Dr. Terri Dunn, a Berkeley, California., dermatologist. Even acne or laser hair removal should be handled differently on dark skin. Many common cosmetic procedures are geared toward lighter skin and only recently the FDA is pressing on companies to make sure their clinical trials include individuals from different ethnic backgrounds. Among the common side effects are hyper- or hypo-pigmentation, dark or light skin spots resulting from any type of trauma, be it a cut, burn, acne or eczema. In dark skin, popular fillers such as Restylane, collagen and even piercings and tattoos can cause raised scar tissue, which can only be removed surgically and tend to grow back. Even laser hair removal on dark skinned can can burn, blister and scab the skin if the laser is too strong.

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