Black and pregnant skin: what care for my skin?

Dark skin: what to do against stretch marks and other skin discomfort during pregnancy?

Black skin and white skin: the same structure …

First of all, let’s start by twisting our necks on a misconception: black skin does not have a different structure from white skin.“This is the first message to get across”, believes Dr Camille Fitoussi, dermatologist and focused on the care of black skin. ” The skin has the same structure in all humans, with a stratum corneum, epidermis, dermis, etc. » The only difference is the amount of melanin pigments, which gives the skin color. In all humans, it is the melanocytes, cells located in the lower layer of the epidermis, that make the pigments in the skin. Black skin and white skin have the same number of melanocytes. Melanocytes in black skin simply produce more pigment than those in white skin.

… but specificities due to acclimatization

If black skin has the same structure as white skin, it still has some specificities. In addition to the difference in pigmentation, black skin differs from white in terms of healing, which will be better but also more visible. They sometimes suffer from inconveniences related to acclimatization, poorly supporting temperate and continental climates. Because if it is between 22 and 35 ° C all year round in Guadeloupe, Ivory Coast or Benin, temperatures oscillate between -10 and 30 ° C in France. In addition, the humidity in France rarely exceeds 80%, while it often reaches 95% in these same countries. In addition, the heating that we put in the winter tends to dry the air. Black-skinned people living in northern countries suffer from this dry climate and often develop a cutaneous dryness, or an excess of sebum (fatty) in reaction to this dryness, in particular on the face.

The watchword for black skin: hydration!

For Dr Camille Fitoussi, “ethnic marketing specially designed for black skin makes no sense”, since black skin is not fundamentally different from white. Note that this is not the case for frizzy hair, which has a real specificity. But for the skin, it is better to be wary of dermatologists who claim to be “specialists in black skin”, since there is no specific medical training. A dermatologist who is familiar with dark skin will be quite competent.

Confronted with our dry and cold climates, however, black skin requires a very special care routine. To fight against dry skin, no miracle, you have to hydrate. After the shower, apply a moisturizer every day, being careful however not to use the same for the body and the face, which can develop acne.

Stretch marks on black or mixed skin: prevention rather than cure

As for stretch marks, dark skin is no more likely than white to have them during pregnancy. On the other hand, they will be seen more on black skin, where they form scars whiter than the rest of the epidermis. White skin or black skin, same fight: in practice there is no no miracle cream capable of preventing the appearance of stretch marks, alas. These result from a fracture of the dermis (the layer of cells located under the epidermis) due to a too sudden change in volume. According to Dr. Fitoussi, “buying expensive anti-stretch mark creams is useless” since “the stretch mark does not come from the hydration of the skin, but from the distension of the skin”. Against stretch marks, it is necessary to act upstream. An early pregnancy before the age of 20 and too much weight gain during it will increase the risk of pregnancy-related stretch marks. As a result, we try to limit our weight gain (9 to 12 kg for a simple pregnancy, 15 to 20 kg for a twin pregnancy), and we continue to hydrate the skin sufficiently, especially if we are very young. .

Stretch marks on black or mixed-skin skin: products to favor

Once it is installed, the stretch mark will be difficult if not impossible to dislodge. But it may subside over time and if the skin is sufficiently hydrated. On the cream side, we prefer treatments that contain ingredients such as glycerin, petroleum jelly, vegetable oils or shea butter. “In pharmacies, creams such as Ictyane®, Dexeryl®, Topicrem® or even Lipikar® are perfectly adequate,” assures Dr Fitoussi. Unfortunately, these creams will only act on the surface on the superficial layer of the epidermis and will not go deeper. Their anti-stretch mark action is therefore limited, even if it is specially designed creams against stretch marks or anti-stretch mark oils. ” To have the right to enter the skin, you have to be a medicine », Summarizes the dermatologist. But applied in regular massages, these creams still help the skin to regain a little firmness.

Stretch marks on black or mixed skin: is surgery a solution?

And for those who would be tempted by surgery to remove stretch marks, know that it does not work miracles either. The laser has no action. “Worse, it burns the skin”, assures us Dr. Fitoussi, who compares it to “a fire hose”. Ditto for the injections offered by some institutes. A tummy tuck can, however, bear fruit to restore beauty to a belly distended by pregnancy. But you don’t have to wait no miracle help from surgery to remove stretch marks on the thighs.

Pregnancy mask and dark skin: protect yourself from UV rays!

As with white skin, preventing pregnancy mask in dark and dark skin is to protect yourself from UV rays. Hats, glasses, sunscreen… In general, pregnant women are advised not to be too exposed to the sun, even if dark skin offers little protection. Because the pregnancy mask will be seen particularly in dark and mixed skin, due to the color difference between the spots and the skin.

Finally, the dermatologist insists on the need for black women to take iron supplements during pregnancy. These are indeed more prone to deficiencies for physiological reasons, and therefore more at risk of hair loss.