Skin Tone (skin + tone)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences


Selected Abstracts


Botulinum Toxin for the Treatment of Facial Flushing

DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 1 2004
Melanie Yuraitis MS
Background. Facial flushing is a common problem that is encountered by fair-skinned patients of Celtic and Northern European descent. Although usually transient in nature, some patients display a persistent reddened skin tone, with periods of increased erythema. Treatment of this condition is limited. Objective. To describe a novel method for the treatment of persistent facial flushing. Method. We report a case of persistent facial flushing that was resistant to multiple pulsed dye laser treatments and was successfully treated with botulinum toxin A. Results. The posttreatment appearance was dramatic, and the patient was highly satisfied with the cosmetic outcome. Conclusion. Botulinum toxin A can be used in small quantities to decrease persistent facial flushing temporarily. [source]


Manipulating subcategory salience: exploring the link between skin tone and social perception of Blacks

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 5 2004
Keith B. Maddox
Guided by the model of social category salience proposed by M. Blanz (1999), the present paper explores factors affecting the salience of skin tone-based subcategories among Blacks in the United States. Adapting the group discussion paradigm developed by S.E. Taylor and colleagues (1978), Experiment 1 demonstrated that a manipulation of issue relevance enhanced the category salience of skin tone. Participants made more within- than between-category errors when the topic of conversation was related to perceiver's skin tone-based beliefs. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the influence of the issue relevance manipulation was independent of the presence of structural and/or normative fit. Merely discussing the topic of race relations was sufficient to increase encoding and use of skin tone. These studies provide evidence linking skin tone and social beliefs in memory. In addition, they demonstrate support for a category-based perspective in the study of skin tone bias. Additional factors affecting the salience of skin tone are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Influence of environmental stress on skin tone, color and melanogenesis in Japanese skin

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 1 2005
K. Kikuchi
Introduction It is needless to say that one of the most potent environmental stress for melanogenesis of the human skin is the effect of ultraviolet (UV) light from the sunlight. Characteristic skin aging as a result of this UV light is recognized as photoaging. Clinical features in photoaging are wrinkles, skin laxity, coarseness, leathery, yellowing, lentigenes, mottled pigmentation, telangiectasia, sebaceous hypertrophy and purpura. There is an apparent difference in clinical features in photoaging among different races, i.e. between Caucasians, African American and Asians that include Japanese. Not only photo skin type but also environmental factors, such as climate, latitude, altitude and their habit of sunbathing, smoking and skin care influence the characteristic development of their photoaging. Racial difference in photoaging Caucasians tend to develop skin laxity and fine wrinkles more than Asians [1]. Asians tend to produce coarser wrinkles than the Caucasians although their development is rather late in life. There is also a difference in the skin color. Pigmentation is an earliest and prominent skin changes in Asians [1] and it increases with age [2]. In contrast, pigmentation is not apparent in the Caucasians although redness probably because of an increase in cutaneous vascularization becomes prominent in middle aged Caucasians [2]. Chung reported that seborrheic keratosis is a major pigmentary lesion in men, whereas hyperpigmented macules are prominent features in women in Koreans [3]. Melanogenesis pigmentation disorders in Japanese Ephelides (freckles) are commonly found in those with photo skin type I who have fair skin and red eyes and blond hair. They are also found in the Japanese. Clinical feature reveals that multiple small pigmentary macules on sun-exposed areas mainly on the mid-portion of the face. These lesions seem to be familial, becoming apparent even in early childhood after sun exposure. Melasma is an acquired pigmentary disorder commonly found in middle aged Japanese women characterized by irregular brown macules and patches on the sun-exposed areas on the face typically as bilaterally present macules on the cheeks. An increase in sex hormones as a result of pregnancy and intake of contraceptive pills is one of the etiological factors to develop melasma. Sun exposure also worsens it. Nevus of Ota is also a common pigmentary disorder found in the Japanese. It is usually unilateral, blue-brown to slate-gray pigmentary macules on the eyelid and cheek that appear in early childhood or in puberty. Acquired dermal melanocytosis is also a pigmentary disorder, in which dermal melanocytes are found as shown in nevus of Ota, characterized by bilateral brown to blue-gray macules on the forehead, temple, eyelid and malar areas in middle aged Japanese women. This tends to be misdiagnosed as melasma. Solar lentigo is an acquired pigmented macule induced by sun exposure. Solar lentigines are usually multiple, circumscribed brown macules. There are two types of solar lentigo. One is a small macular type, characterized by multiple, small brown macules whose diameter is less than 5 mm, being similar to ephelides (freckles). The other type is a large macular type, characterized by a few round to oval, brown macules whose diameter is beyond 1 cm. Some of their surface are hyperkeratotic and become elevated to produce seborrheic keratosis. Again, the early sign of photoaging in Japanese is pigmentated spots and these pigmentation disorders increase with age. Among the pigmentary changes, nevus of Ota, acquired dermal melanocytosis, melasma and large macular type of solar lentigo are characteristic skin changes found in the Japanese in addition to ephelides and small macular type of solar lentigo. Seasonal changes of the various functional properties of the skin including skin color assessed by non-invasive bioengineering techniques [4]. When we consider skin tone, color and melanogenesis, UV light from the sunlight is the most potent environmental stress, although we cannot forget also the important influence of environmental relative humidity affects our skin functions as well as its appearance. We investigated seasonal influences on the various properties of the skin in 39 healthy Japanese females consisting of different age groups. Their skin is thought to be affected by the UV light in summer, and by the exposure to the dry and cold air in winter. Materials and methods Biophysical, non-invasive measurements, including transepidermal water loss (TEWL) as a parameter for the barrier function of the stratum corneum (SC), high frequency conductance as a parameter for the hydration state of the SC, skin color and casual surface lipid levels, were conducted during late summer and winter months. Skin color was determined with a chromameter according to the L*a*b* CIE 1976 system, where L* is an attribute on the luminance scale, a* that on the red versus green scale and b* that on the yellow versus blue scale. All the measurements were conducted in an environment controlled-chamber (21 ± 1 °C room temperature, and 50 ± 3% relative humidity). Results The barrier function of the SC was found to be significantly impaired in winter on the cheek as compared with that measured in summer, whereas no such seasonal change was apparent both in the hydration state of the SC and sebum levels on the cheek. In the assessment of the skin color on the cheek, a significant increase in a* (redness) and a decrease in b* (yellowness) were observed in winter. In contrast, on the flexor forearm, the values of L* (luminescence) increased in winter, but no seasonal change was noted in the values of a* and b*. In this study, skin changes with aging were also found by the non-invasive bioengineering methods. The value of TEWL on the cheek tended to increase with age, whereas no significant change was observed in the value of TEWL on the forearm. In the assessment of skin color, b* value on the cheek significantly increased with age whereas a* and L* values on the cheek did not show any significant change with age. Summary of this study We think that such an increase in yellowness with aging of the cheek skin is a phenomenon unique to the Japanese (Asians) since an increase in b* value was not observed in Caucasians [2]. The facial skin that is always exposed shows barrier impairment in a dry and cold winter environment and demonstrates increased yellowness in skin color because of a prolonged exposure to the UV light from the sun in the summer season. The non-invasive bioengineering methods are useful to demonstrate even invisible seasonal changes occurring in the same individuals and changes with age occurring in the skin. References 1.,Goh, S.H. The treatment of visible signs of senescence: the Asian experience. Br. J. Dermatol.122, 105,109 (1990). 2.,LeFur, I., Numagami, K., Guinot, C. et al. Age-related reference values of skin color in Caucasian and Japanese healthy women according to skin site. Pigment Cell Res. 7, 67 (1999). 3.,Chung, J.H., Lee, S.H., Youn, C.S. et al. Cutaneous photodamage in Koreans: influence of sex, sun exposure, smoking, and skin color. Arch. Dermatol. 137, 1043,1051 (2001). 4.,Kikuchi, K., Kobayashi, H., Le Fur, I. et al. Winter season affects more severely the facial skin than the forearm skin: comparative biophysical studies conducted in the same Japanese females in later summer and winter. Exog. Dermatol. 1, 32,38 (2002). [source]


The use of light-emitting diode therapy in the treatment of photoaged skin

JOURNAL OF COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2007
FACCS, FRACGP, Fabien Baez MBBS, MAACS, MCPSA
Summary Background, Light-emitting diode (LED) therapy is an increasingly popular methodology for the treatment of sun damage. Combination use of light wavelengths reported to stimulate collagen synthesis and accelerate fibroblast,myofibroblast transformation may display a composite rejuvenative effect. Objective, To clinically assess reduction in sun damage signs following a 5-week course of LED therapy and to assess subject's perception of the treatment. Methods, Thirteen subjects with wrinkles or fine lines in the periorbital and nasolabial region and those presenting Glogau scale photodamage grade II,III received nine 20-min duration light treatments using the OmniluxÔ LED system. The treatments combined wavelengths of 633 and 830 nm at fluences of 126 and 66 J/cm2, respectively. Sun-damage reduction was assessed at 6, 9, and 12 weeks by clinical photography and patient satisfaction scores. Results, The majority of subjects displayed "moderate" (50%) or "slight" (25%) response to treatment at investigator assessment. Treatment of the periorbital region was reported more effective than the nasolabial region. At 12-week follow-up, 91% of subjects reported improved skin tone, and 82% reported enhanced smoothness of skin in the treatment area. Conclusion, Good response to LED therapy has been shown in this modest sample. Larger trials are needed to assess optimum frequency of light treatments and overall treatment time. [source]


Vitamin D status of chronically ill or disabled children in Victoria

JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 7 2003
A Greenway
Objective: To establish the percentage prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in chronically ill or disabled children in Melbourne, Australia. Methodology: A group of inpatients at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, as identified by the primary unit, were sampled to measure serum vitamin D and parameters of bone turnover. A second group of disabled children (outpatients) were also measured to establish vitamin D status. Results: Of the total population, 54.9% were found to have low serum 25 hydroxy (25OH) vitamin D levels. Of the inpatient group, 25.4% were vitamin D deficient (<30 nmol/L), and 27.1% were vitamin D insufficient (30,50 nmol/L). The mean 25OH vitamin D was 52.1 nmol/L. Of the outpatient group, 15.4% were vitamin D deficient, whilst 42.3% were found to be insufficient. The mean vitamin D level was 41.2 nmol/L. No difference attributable to intellectual versus physical disability was found. Anticonvulsant use and ambulatory status was not predictive of vitamin D status in the children examined. Of the total population, 0.05% were found to have secondary hyperparathyroidism. The mean 25OH vitamin D level of this subgroup was 30.6 nmol/L. Dark skin tone was found to be significantly associated with hypovitaminosis D (P = 0.001), where all five children with dark skin tone were found to have serum 25OH vitamin D levels <50 nmol/L. Of the seven disabled children (outpatients) found to be iron deficient, four had coexistent hypovitaminosis D. Conclusion: The percentage prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is high in both chronically ill, and physically/intellectually disabled children in Melbourne, Australia. Increased vigilance and recognition of this deficiency state is needed as an important health prevention strategy. [source]


Blue and red light combination LED phototherapy for acne vulgaris in patients with skin phototype IV

LASERS IN SURGERY AND MEDICINE, Issue 2 2007
Seung Yoon Lee MD
Abstract Background and Objectives Blue light is effective for acne treatment, inducing photodynamic destruction of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes). This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of combined blue and red light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy for acne vulgaris. Materials and Methods Twenty-four patients with mild to moderately severe facial acne were treated with quasimonochromatic LED devices, alternating blue (415 nm) and red (633 nm) light. The treatment was performed twice a week for 4 weeks. Objective assays of the skin condition were carried out before and after treatment at each treatment session. Clinical assessments were conducted before treatment, after the 2nd, 4th, and 6th treatment sessions and at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after the final treatment by grading and lesion counting. Results The final mean percentage improvements in non-inflammatory and inflammatory lesions were 34.28% and 77.93%, respectively. Instrumental measurements indicated that the melanin levels significantly decreased after treatment. Brightened skin tone and improved skin texture were spontaneously reported by 14 patients. Conclusion Blue and red light combination LED phototherapy is an effective, safe and non-painful treatment for mild to moderately severe acne vulgaris, particularly for papulopustular acne lesions. Lasers Surg. Med. 39:180,188, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Impact of skin tone on the performance of a transcutaneous jaundice meter

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 12 2009
Stephen Wainer
Abstract Aim:, To evaluate the performance of the Konica Minolta/Air-Shields® JM-103 jaundice meter on the basis of infant skin tone during the early neonatal period. Methods:, Infants were prospectively categorized into light, medium and dark skin tone groups relative to two reference colours. Transcutaneous bilirubin readings were taken at predetermined intervals through the early neonatal period on a convenience sample of 938 healthy infants ,37 weeks gestation. Serum bilirubin measurements were drawn routinely with metabolic studies and repeated in the presence of an elevated transcutaneous reading or clinically significant jaundice. Results:, Multivariate linear regression analysis showed a significant impact on serum and transcutaneous bilirubin agreement by skin tone. Highest precision and lowest bias were observed for medium skin toned infants. Greater disagreement between serum and transcutaneous measurements was noted at serum bilirubin concentrations >200 ,mol/L. Insufficient numbers of dark skin toned infants were enroled to evaluate fully the performance of the jaundice meter for this group. Conclusion:, The JM-103 jaundice meter displayed good correlation with serum bilirubin concentrations in light and medium skin tone infants, although it showed a tendency to under-read in the lighter skin tone group and to over-read in the darker skin tone group. The device shows excellent performance characteristics for use as a screening device. [source]


Dominican Immigrants and Discrimination in a New Destination: The Case of Reading, Pennsylvania

CITY & COMMUNITY, Issue 3 2010
R.S. Oropesa
The last decade has witnessed the diversification of immigrant destinations in the United States. Although the literature on this phenomenon is burgeoning, research on the experiences of smaller immigrant groups in new destinations is underdeveloped. This is especially the case for those from the Dominican Republic, a group that is expanding beyond the traditional gateway cities of the Northeast. Using a survey of Dominican immigrants in Reading, Pennsylvania, this study has two objectives. The first objective is to describe the prevalence of experiences with institutional and interpersonal discrimination. The second objective is to determine the extent to which these experiences are structured around racial markers (i.e., skin tone), forms of capital, forms of incorporation, and exposure to the United States. Our results show that a substantial minority of Dominican immigrants claims to have been treated unfairly, primarily because of their "race and ethnicity." In addition, experiences with some types of discrimination are positively associated with skin tone (i.e., darkness) and several factors that are identified in models of assimilation. Los inmigrantes dominicanos y sus experiencias con la discriminación en un nuevo lugar de destino: el caso de Reading, Pennsylvania (R.S. Oropesa y Leif Jensen) Resumen En la última década, se ha dado un proceso de diversificación de los lugares de destino en la migración a los Estados Unidos. Aún cuando la literatura sobre el tema está aumentando, todavía sabemos muy poco sobre las experiencias de los grupos más pequeños de inmigrantes en nuevos lugares de destino. Esto ocurre especialmente con la comunidad inmigrante de la República Dominicana, un grupo que se está expandiendo más allá de las ciudades de entrada tradicionales en el Noreste del país. El presente estudio hace uso de una encuesta con inmigrantes dominicanos en Reading, Pennsylvania para cumplir con los siguientes objetivos. El primer objetivo es describir la preponderancia de las experiencias de discriminación tanto institucional como interpersonal en dicha comunidad. El segundo objetivo es determinar hasta qué punto estas experiencias están relacionadas con indicadores raciales (por ejemplo, color de la piel), tipos de capital, modos de incorporación y contacto previo con los Estados Unidos. Nuestros resultados muestran que una minoría significativa de inmigrantes dominicanos asegura haber sido tratada injustamente, principalmente debido a su "raza y etnicidad". Además, sus experiencias con algunos tipos de discriminación están positivamente asociadas con el color de la piel (o sea, piel oscura) y varios factores identificados en la literatura sobre modelos de asimilación. [source]


Perceptions of and Preferences for Skin Color, Black Racial Identity, and Self-Esteem Among African Americans,

JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 11 2001
Stephanie Irby Coard
The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of skin color (i.e., lightness,darkness), as it pertains to racial identity development theory and self-esteem among 113 African American college students of various skin colors. Findings revealed that the sample preferred skin color of a medium tone, rather than exhibiting self-preference for either lighter or darker skin tones. There was also a significant relationship between one's perceptions of and preferences for his or her skin color and the skin tones idealized by others (e.g., opposite gender, family). Lighter skin color was positively related to higher levels of racial identity attitudes (immersion/emersion); the more satisfied darker skinned individuals were with their skin color, the lower their self-esteem, and gender differences existed in perceptions of others' preferences for skin color. Implications of this study for providing therapeutic clinical services and fostering the healthy psychological development of African American men, women, and children are discussed. [source]