Skincare tips for young Asian skin

What should your daily routine look like?

1. 1Cleanse gently. Use a mild cleanser and your fingertips, then rinse and pat dry with a clean towel. For acne, wash twice daily. If your skin is dry or sensitive, washing once in the evening can be enough.
2. 2Apply moisturizer. Choose a lightweight, fragrance free product and use it regularly to relieve dryness and itchiness. Keep moisturizing if you use an acne treatment that dries your skin.
3. 3Wear sunscreen daily. Choose broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. If you are prone to breakouts, look for an oil free formula.
4. 4Remove makeup at the end of the day. Make this part of your evening cleansing rather than leaving makeup on overnight.

Darker skin has more natural protection against ultraviolet exposure than fairer skin, but sun protection still belongs in the routine. Use a hat, sunglasses and protective clothing when spending time in the sun. Sun protection also helps prevent existing pigmentation from getting worse.456

Does young skin need serums or anti ageing products?

Tweens mainly need cleansing, moisturizing and sun protection. Teenagers can develop more oiliness and acne as hormones change, so treatment should address those concerns rather than wrinkles. Skincare does not have to be complicated to be effective, even if a crowded shelf looks more qualified.14

For tweens and teens, skip cosmetic retinol, vitamin C and exfoliating acids aimed at ageing or sun damage. These can cause burning, redness or peeling without benefiting young skin. Acne treatment is a separate decision: a dermatologist can recommend a retinoid or salicylic acid when appropriate. Introduce one new product at a time. For sensitive skin, try a small amount before using it across the face.1

What changes with your skin tone?

Inflammation can leave postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, meaning dark marks after irritation or a breakout. In more pigmented skin, inflammation is not always visibly red. Acne bumps can look brown or purple, and itchy, dry patches can look darker rather than red. Pay attention to discomfort, swelling and changes in texture as well as colour.35

How should you handle acne and dark marks?

During puberty, hormones increase production of sebum, the skin's oil. Hair follicles can become blocked with excess oil and dead skin cells; bacteria in the blocked follicles can then cause inflammation and pus. Acne can affect the face, chest and back, not just the nose or forehead. Scrubbing does not clear that blockage safely and can make acne worse.34

Treat acne and dark marks together rather than focusing only on the marks. Dark spots can last much longer than the breakout that caused them, and controlling acne removes a continuing cause of new marks. Early treatment helps prevent acne from worsening and reduces the risk of dark patches and raised scars in skin of colour. Do not pick, pop or squeeze spots, because this increases the risk of scars.2

A pharmacist can help you choose treatment for mild acne, including benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Salicylic acid helps unclog pores and prevent new breakouts. For benzoyl peroxide, start with 2.5% to limit irritation; higher strengths can cause more dryness and flaking. If 2.5% irritates your skin, try using it every other day. Benzoyl peroxide does not bleach skin, but it can bleach clothing, towels and bedding.23

Acne creams and gels can take up to eight weeks to start working, so a few days is too soon to judge the result. Treatment needs regular use, but irritation can make sticking with it difficult. Ask for help with irritation rather than repeatedly switching products. Antibiotics are not an automatic next step when a topical treatment has barely had time to work; unnecessary antibiotic use contributes to resistance.7

Which products are worth choosing?

An expensive bottle is not automatically better for young skin, even if the packaging seems ready for its own photo shoot. Choose age appropriate basics first, rather than buying every product that appears in a skincare trend.1

• For acne prone skin, look for skincare and makeup labelled noncomedogenic, meaning formulated not to clog pores. Mineral makeup is another option for covering dark marks.
• If breakouts cluster around the forehead and temples, hair oil could be contributing. Try products containing water or glycerin instead of oil, or keep hair oil away from the hairline.
• Wash caps and hats regularly. Accumulated sweat, dirt and oil can make acne flare.
• Avoid harsh soaps, scrubs and repeated exfoliation. These can irritate skin rather than improve acne.

Be careful with lightening products and procedures

Cosmetic skin bleaching is not a harmless extension of moisturizing. Some lightening creams contain potent corticosteroids. Prolonged steroid use can cause acne, thin the skin and affect the body's hormone system; high doses also increase infection risk. Treating a dark mark and trying to change your natural skin colour are different decisions.5

Before trying a chemical peel, microdermabrasion or laser for acne, see a dermatologist experienced in treating your skin tone. In darkly pigmented skin, even home versions can cause permanent dark marks or light spots. Ask how often the clinician treats people with skin of colour.2

When should you get medical help?

• See a GP or dermatologist for numerous spots, deep painful lumps, scarring or acne that is not improving with treatment.
• Get help if skin becomes hot and swollen or you suspect an infection. Redness can be harder to see on brown and black skin.
• Seek support if acne is affecting your mood, confidence or mental health. Emotional effects are a valid reason to get treatment.
• Discuss skin concerns with your GP if you use hormonal contraception, because it can affect acne.

New pigmentation is not always an acne mark. Medicines, including minocycline, can cause colour changes, and medicine related pigmentation is more common in people of Asian or African descent. If pigmentation appears during treatment, ask the prescriber to review your medication history and the pattern of the changes. Whether the medicine can be changed needs a clinical decision. Pigmentation can fade slowly and sometimes persists.6