Blog with Dr. Irwin

African american skin

Is Cosmelan a good product for pigmentation problems?

Posted in Skin Care Products, Skin Care, Pigment problems, Asian skin, African american skin, 2012 on Feb 04, 2012 | Permalink

Dr, I am planing to get Cosmelan. I did my research and found out that Cosmelan has a new formula with Hydroquinone. It seems like the old formula was the best, and new formula has mixed reviews. Can you please advise on new Cosmelan. Thank you

I hope I'm wrong, but I'm very suspicious of this company - Mesoestetic. First, it's difficult to find out much about them. Their website constantly asks the user for information while... more

Are Juvederm and Botox safe for african american skin?

Posted in Juvederm and Restylane, Botox, African american skin, 2012 on Feb 04, 2012 | Permalink

Hi Dr.Irwin, i'm a afro-american woman 59 years old i'm looking into having Juvaderm done for smile lines and botox for my forehead do women of color have often have these procedures done? will smoking affect the outcome i'm really trying to quit. thanks Linda

The short answer is yes! In general, pigmentation problems or any problems (other than the usual - see links to Botox and Juvederm), make these products very safe for African American... more

Is Thermage safe for African American skin?

Posted in Thermage and Radiofrequency Devices, Thermage, Radiofrequency systems, African american skin, 2011 on Dec 04, 2011 | Permalink

Is thermage suitable for for African or Afro Americans?

Yes - it's extremely safe because it uses radiofrequency (a sound wave) and is not laser (light waves). Radiofrequency based technologies like Thermage are safe for all skin... more

What to do about the darkening caused by tweezing in african american skin?

Posted in Pigment problems, Hair Removal, Hair, African american skin, 2011 on Jul 29, 2011 | Permalink

Not sure what to use..I have been removing hair from chin by tweezing I am african american and this has caused hyperpigmentation so that the area is extremely dark and very noticeable. I have been on the website looking at bleaching and lightening products but sort of wary because there are so many and my skin does tend to breakout. what can i use to bring that part of my face back to the same color as the rest of my face or should i see a dermatologist.

I think a lot of women have this problem. In lighter skin types, it shows up as reddish discoloration around the hair follicles and, in darker skin types, more dark brown. It's caused by... more

Skin care products for women of color.

Posted in Skin Care Products, Skin Care, Pigment problems, African american skin, 2011 on Mar 27, 2011 | Permalink

Dr.I, I love skin medica ( i use it) but can a person of color ( african american) use this product and get the results? I was not sure to recommend this produt to a friend of color.. Ty

Yes, this skin care line is excellent for women of all skin colors. Just remember anyone can have an individual reaction to an individual product. I usually vote for starting new products... more

Is a fractionated CO2 laser safe on darker skin types to treat acne scarring?

Posted in Lasers, Carbon Dioxide Lasers, African american skin, Acne Scars, 2010 on Nov 28, 2010 | Permalink

Hi Dr Irwin I was just browsing your website doign research on Fractionated CO2 lasers. I see it mentiond that it can be adjusted on more darker skin types to be safe. Can you elaborate if this is a viable and safe option for treatment of acne scars (ice pick/rolling types) on darker skin types? I see various websites listing CO2 as not safe on darker skin types though so i am curious if you can shed some more light on how it works on darker skin types and what are potential complications and recovery times especially for acne scars

Thank you for asking this. The answer is yes with some restrictions. First, you must go to an expert who has a lot of experience because the right settings really matter. They need to... more

Can Botox cause a problem with keloids?

Posted in Scars, Botox, African american skin, 2010 on May 13, 2010 | Permalink

Dr Irwin i am a african american 68 years old reasonable good health and i have this horizontal line between both eyes which causes one to not look pleasnt i also have those cooma on the side of face or labia and question is this i keloid and i am wondering if it botox would cause big problem for me i would so badly like to have just a little something done for me oh my what a life lift that would be thanks warmly

Dear Fran -

Good question. Fortunately, the answer is no (or let's just say 99.9% no) is doesn't cause keloids. There are several reasons for this. First, we get less prone to keloids... more

Will a laser work for loose skin on the abdomen?

Posted in Thermage and Radiofrequency Devices, Thermage, Pregnancy, Lasers, IPL, Fraxel laser, Body Treatments, African american skin on Mar 21, 2010 | Permalink

I had a baby almost three years ago. I was fortunate that I was able to loose the weight and escape stretch mark free(She weigh 10 pounds). I am 5'4 and weigh 130 pounds. I workout regularly so I'm in pretty good shape. I am thinking of trying a laser for my belly button area. The skin has lost the elesticity and that area looks so different from the rest of my abdominal area. I know you are against this type of thing incase of major weight loss but I wonder if you think that it would make a difference in my case? I have consulted with 2 doctors and of course, both said yes that it would make a significant difference. I still don't know if I trust the response. If you think it would is there a particular one you recommend? I so appreciate your honesty and straight-fowardness. Thank you again and again.

Good for you for getting back into shape!! It's hard, isn't it.

Well........it depends on which type of laser and how loose the skin is. If it's more like a stretch mark around your... more

View All Blog Entries

Ask a Question

Ask Dr. Irwin a question about skin care, beauty, new treatments, skin care products, new technology, or skin health. She'll answer five to ten questions a week.