Ashy skin (dry skin) is a result of the body getting rid of dead skin cells. This normal shedding happens in every one of all races. This grayish, ashy-looking skin shows up more clearly on black skin because of the contrast between the dead, dry cells on the surface and the fresh, new ones that have replaced them. It's not a sign of disease.
Wash with a mild, gentle soap or skin cleanser (like Cetaphil Cleanser), bathe in Alpha Keri Oil, apply a moisturizer (like Cetaphil Lotion) after your bath, and try to increase the relative humidity in your home to at least 40 percent.
Avoid the use of greasy and oily products – cocoa butter, cold creams, petroleum jelly – to attempt to alleviate this condition. You will only plug up your oil glands and you will develop acne bumps on your face and other areas.
Lichenification.
This harmless condition consists of thickened, hyperpigmented patches of skin with accentuated skin markings. It is a result of constant scratching that accompanies eczema, contact dermatitis, and some types of "nervous" itching. People who are under constant stress often develop itchy areas – back of neck, forearms, legs and ankles, and other areas – that they (naturally) scratch and rub. This persistent scratching and rubbing will cause the thickening and darkening.
Pityriasis Alba.
This common condition occurs primarily in childhood – ages 8 to 12 usually – and is a marker – a sign – of eczema. It consists of light – hypopigmented – patches of skin over the cheeks, and, occasionally other areas such as the arms and neck.
Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra.
Dermatosis papulosa nigra is a condition, not a disease, seen almost exclusively in blacks. It occurs in about one-third of all black people and is twice as common in women as in men.
What does it look like? Tiny, smooth, raised, mole-like spots that appear on the face and neck that are darker than the skin around them. Resembling flat warts, they begin around the age of puberty, are inherited, can vary in number from just a few to hundreds, and become more numerous as a person gets older. They never become malignant; in other words, they are not precancerous growths.
If you have a lot of these tumors and are unhappy with the way they look, a dermatologist can remove them simply and easily with a variety of methods.
THE DON'TS.
· Don't use abrasive cleansers on your face.
· Don't use harsh detergent soaps.
· Do not squeeze pimples.
· Do not use Vaseline or pomades on your scalp or face.
· Try not to scratch or irritate your skin.
The best advice I gave my friend Rita was that she should consult her dermatologist. That is how I finally tackled my excessive pimples.
In the Bedroom
