Dark skin tones are beautiful but it can come with a whole host of problems. Unless you are somehow blessed with perfectly flawless skin, you are most likely to experience problems including sensitivity, hyperpigmentation, ashiness, keloids and inflammation. If you want to keep your skin healthy, it is a must to step up your skincare game. These skin care tips for dark skin should help you out.

Before anything else, let’s try to understand more about melanin first.

Melanin is the pigment that gives color to a person’s skin, hair and eyes. The darker the skin, the more melanin is present. But melanin is more than just pigment, it does a very important job too - it protects your skin from sun damage. Those who have darker skin actually have better protection from the sun’s harmful rays.

While dark skin might be less prone to sun burn and skin cancers, it doesn’t mean that you can slack off on skin care!

Here are some skin care tips for dark skin to add to your regular routine:

Fight Ashiness

When dark skin is dry, it becomes ashy. While every skin tone gets dry, it is more obvious in those who have darker skin. Ashiness usually happens on areas that have thicker skin, which are the elbows and knees.

How can you fight ashy knees and elbows? Moisturize! The most typical reason why ashy skin happens is because of dryness. It is a signal that your skin is thirsty for some moisture. Feed it with nourishing lotion or cream that will bring back that hydration. Because dark skin loses moisture quicker, it is ideal to use products that can provide ultra hydration. Avoid products that contain harsh chemicals and go for natural skin care products.

Don’t Over Exfoliate

Exfoliation is important but if you overdo it, it can cause a whole lot of damage to your skin. According to experts, you should only be exfoliating around two times a week, even less if your skin is sensitive.

It is always best to choose gentle products over those with harsh ingredients. When exfoliating, don’t rub too hard! Rubbing your skin to harshly can cause trauma to your skin follicles and this can lead to hyperpigmentation a.k.a dark spots, which can ruin your complexion. So, be gentle, and scrub gently.

Protect Your Skin

While having more melanin can actually protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays, this doesn’t mean that you don’t need protection. You can still get sunburnt, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors. People with darker skin tend to show photodamage and hyperpigmentation more obviously. Without the proper protection, you can end up with an uneven complexion.

It is a must to wear sunscreen! Even if the sky is overcast and you are indoors, experts advise on still applying sunscreen. Choose products that have an SPF of 30 and above, to make sure that you are getting a high level of protection.

Be Careful With Laser Treatments

Most light-skinned people can take laser treatments for hyperpigmentation with no issues at all. Dark skin, however, can react differently.

Laser works by applying heat that damages the melanin layer of the skin. If your skin has certain sensitivities, this can turn into pigmentations. If you are planning to do laser skin treatments, make sure to go to a dermatologist who is experienced in dealing with dark skin.

Unfortunately, not all dermatologists are familiar with dark skin issues. Seek out those who would be able to understand your skin type. They can also do a test to check your sensitivity or how well your skin can tolerate these treatments.

Hydrate From Within

A truly healthy skin starts from within. Eating healthy superfoods and making sure you are hydrated can do wonders for your skin.

If you are dehydrated, your skin will look dry and dull. Bad vices like smoking and drinking will ruin your health and skin. Love eating greasy junk food? That will show up on your skin too!

If you want to achieve that ‘glow’, be mindful of what you put inside you body. Also, drink a lot of water! This might sound like such a simple thing but it is super important. According to The Institute of Medicine, the recommended daily water intake for men is about 13 cups and a little over 9 cups for women.

If you want to get or maintain a healthy and youthful-lookin skin, take these skin care tips for dark skin seriously. It might be time for you to make some changes, whether in your diet or skin care routines too. With consistency, you can definitely get that beautiful brown skin glow!