The amount of melanin in the skin determines how dark an individuals skin is but there's no indication that skin pigmentation plays any role in the type of skin conditions one may be prone too. On the other hand, for those with dark complexions there are a few skin related problems that are more prevalent than for those with lighter complexions.

A common example of skin care issues that are more prevalent for those with darker complexions is that of ingrown hairs. The reason is that individuals with more pigmentation normally have curly hair on their head and in the case of men, curly beard hair. What happens is that the curly hair has a tendency to curl back into the skin after shaving, which causes small punctures in the wall of the hair follicles and results in small bumps on the skin called pseudofolliculitis barbae. For those with this condition it's important to use special razors that don't stretch the skin while shaving.

Another common condition for those with darker complexions is the need to treat variations in skin color. This problem is the result of having larger melanosomes or skin cells that contain more pigment melanin than what's found in people with lighter complexions. For those with this condition it's important to avoid abrasive skin treatments that scrub the skin too harshly.

A nice benefit of having naturally darker skin is the added protective effect of the increased melanin to over exposure to the sun, skin cancer as well as additional protection against premature aging and wrinkling caused by over exposure to the sun.

Another common skin condition for those with darker complexions is known as Vitiligo. Vitiligo is the appearance of irregular white patches on the skin and is the result of pigment cells being destroyed. The color loss is as individual as the people who are unfortunate enough to develop the condition and in extreme cases pigment can be lost all over the body.

In many instances, treatment of vitiligo involves the use of topical medications like corticosteroids or non-steroid anti-inflammatory preparations. When vitiligo is present over the entire body an individual may be advised to destroy the normal pigmentation of skin that remains. Of course, this type of treatment should be done by a dermatologist or other qualified health care professional.

Keloids are another common skin condition for those with darker complexions and results in a scar from a wound or cut that increases in size from the original wound. Keloids can occur in a wide variety of shapes and sizes as well as locations and are common in brown and black skinned people.

Treating keloids normally includes the taking of cortisone injections, surgery, silicone gels, laser treatments, or radiation therapy. Unfortunately, keloids can return and if it does it can be even worse, especially following surgical treatment so be careful when choosing a treatment method.

Unfortunately, a skin condition common to everyone is acne but for those with darker complexions it can cause long lasting discoloration of the skin and so great care needs to be taken to avoid using treatments that can cause skin irritation.

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