Skin Tone

Dealing with Uneven Skin Tone and Oily Skin

Alright I know this is not your usual case but I am a 22 year old African American male.

The skin tone on my face is not even. Nothing really major but enough that I feel it is noticeable.

I am wondering what is the best treatment to even my skin tone. That's the major problem.

A minor one is my face is very oily. Anything I can do about that?

Jarrett

I have two bits of advice for you: sun protection; and exfoliation.

All skin tones experience pigmentation changes over time. Unless caused by a specific condition such as vitiligo or melasma, these changes are primarily due to uneven production or clumping of melanin and a slowdown in the sloughing of dead skin cells.

Sun Protection

Are you surprised by my first bit of advice - "sun protection"?

Many people still believe that brown skin does not need protection from the sun's UV rays; but the average brown skin has a natural SPF of 13. That's not very much.

Plus, SPF only refers to protection from the sun's UVB rays (the Burning ones).

Melanin production is the skin's first line of defense against the sun's UV rays.

If you provide a stronger first line of defense in the form of a broad spectrum (UVA and UVB) sunscreen, the melanin battalion will not be called into action and create that mottled skin.

Two new sunscreen ingredients, Helioplex and Mexoryl, provide broad spectrum sun protection. Helioplex is found in Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 55. Mexoryl is in Lancome UV Expert.

Exfoliation

As skin cells come to the surface and die, they need to slough off to reveal the younger fresher skin beneath. Bringing all the uneven melanin layers to the surface so they can slough off will take time. So be patient.

If you shave your face, you are already doing some exfoliation. Your dermatologist could prescribe a retinoid cream such as Retin-A if your uneven skin tone were pronounced. He or she would probably warn you to use it sparingly because it can cause post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation in brown skin.

Fortunately you say your unevenness is not severe, so you may want to try OTC exfoliants containing the milder Alpha- and Beta-hydroxy Acids (AHA's and BHA's).

You might also be interested in Olay Regenerist Targeted Tone Enhancer, one of my personal favorites.

It contains Niacinimde as an exfoliant with side benefits. Niacinimide also suppresses UVB damage and enhances anti-cancer properties of keratinocytes (the cells which produce new skin cells).

Paradoxically, exfoliation typically normalizes the skin's oil and moisture content as well - making dry skin moister and oily skin less oily.

Other Steps to Reduce Oiliness

The Neutrogena Pore Refining line contains both AHA's and BHA's and is excellent for controlling oil.

Both the Cleanser and the Toner promise to "visibly reduce the appearance of pores and refine skin to be clear, smooth and more even toned."

More On Men's Skin Care

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to offer medical advice.