Skin of Color Speciality

• Atopic Eczema: Eczema can present differently in richly pigmented skin, often appearing as dark brown, grayish, or violet patches or other colors rather than the red, inflamed skin typically seen on lighter tones. The areas of the body where eczema may appear is usually different on deeper skin tones and may include follicular accentuation, severe dryness and itching and or thickening of the skin. 

• Seborrheic Dermatitis: This condition, which often affects the scalp and face, can be particularly distinctive white or lighter hypopigmented lesions for people with richly pigmented skin. This can be mistaken for post-inflammatory hypopigmentation and or different diseases leading to undertreatment or incorrect treatment. 

• Acne: Acne in skin of color skin can lead to dark spots and scarring on the skin. 

• Rosacea: Although often considered a condition affecting lighter skin, rosacea can also appear in people with richly pigmented skin, typically presenting as purple, violet or darker brown and with visible blood vessels.

• ​Pityriasis Versicolor: This fungal infection can cause small, discolored patches on the skin, that are usually lighter than the surrounding skin which might look white or light tan and can sometimes be misdiagnosed as vitiligo or other skin diseases.

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Over decades of practicing in diverse NYC and in consulting with people nationwide via telemedicine, I’ve had the opportunity to treat people from a wide spectrum of racial and ethnic backgrounds, and skin tones. I observed that the way skin disease manifests visually and my patients' experiences often differ from the educational materials and images from which I was taught.

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My experience with this is also personal as the mom of a mixed child who is half Black-American and half Italian-American. His skin tone is a deep, warm tan color, a couple of shades darker than my Italian-American olive skin tone. When he was an infant his skin tone was lighter. Soon after my son was born, red, brown crusty, dry, flakey and bumpy eczema began to appear on the typical sites on his body as usually described by textbooks. Eczema lesions on infants usually appear on the face, cheeks, forehead, scalp and can sometimes extend onto the arms. The cradle cap dermatitis on his scalp was particularly thick. He was fussy and uncomfortable. I felt so bad for him and did everything I could to soothe his skin. Eventually after making some diet changes and using Chinese herbs as well as topical skin care the eczema went away. 

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But then a few years later, I had the frustrating personal experience trying to figure out why he was so itchy despite there being no “typical signs” of eczema on his skin other than what was clearly some eczema behind his knees and inner elbows. Over most of his body he had tiny bumps which were a couple shades darker than his skin tone and sometimes appeared red if he scratched them or if he was very hot. They appeared in and around the hair follicles on his outer arms, legs and belly. 

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Doctors either brushed it off as nothing to worry about or as just some dry skin or told me it was just a heat rash and shouldn’t cause him any long term itching or discomfort. But that wasn’t the case. The itch would keep him awake at night, and bother him during the day especially when he felt hot. Certain fabrics were irritating. When he was in daycare and kindergarten the itch would distract him and cause irritability. When my son would ask me, “Mommy, why am I so itchy?” my heart would break. I researched high and low looking for answers and figured out the cause was in fact follicular based eczema and began to treat it again with that diagnosis in mind using Chinese medicine. Once his skin cleared, the eczema has never come back and as of this writing he is a junior in high school. 

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Through many experiences in clinical practice and with my son, I recognized the need to adapt what I was taught by pursuing numerous specialized training about dermatological diseases on richly pigmented skin. For a sampling of those trainings click here. The problem of under represented skin tones extends to my professional community I went on to create a free continuing education course for practitioners of East Asian Medicine/Chinese Medicine herbology and acupuncture, called  “Identifying Atopic Eczema on Under Represented Skin Tones: Dismantling bias in medicine, healthcare disparities and enhancing cultural competence.” 

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Why Choose Chinese Herbal Medicine and Holistic Dermatology for Skin Disorders on Your Richly Pigmented Skin?

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Chinese Medicine offers a holistic approach to treating skin conditions, focusing on restoring balance within the body to promote healing from the inside out and offering custom tailored treatments unique to each individual's needs. Rather than just treating the symptoms, I use a combination of herbs, topical skin care, dietary supplements and dietary recommendations to address the root causes of your skin condition, and alleviate the emotional stress caused by skin issues.

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1. Reduce Skin Tone Irregularities: Aside from helping people with all the diseases listed above, the treatments I suggest, support an even and harmonious skin tone to restore a more uniform complexion. Hyperpigmentation refers to darker patches of skin that can result from inflammation, sun exposure, or other skin injuries. It can be caused by conditions like acne, eczema, and other inflammatory skin diseases. Many practitioners disregard the emotional burden people carry when some areas of the skin are much darker than others. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) occurs after the skin has healed from an injury or inflammation that without treatment can linger for months or years but Chinese herbal medicine is a fantastic way to brighten the skin. Hypopigmentation is the loss of skin color and can occur due to active skin diseases or following inflammation. It can manifest as lighter patches on the skin, indicating areas where melanin production has been disrupted. Chinese herbs can help repigment the skin. 

2. Personalized Herbal Treatments: Chinese herbal medicine is tailored to your specific needs, considering your unique constitution and the particular characteristics of your skin condition. 

3. Holistic Care: I believe in treating the whole person, not just the skin condition. This means looking at your overall health, lifestyle, stress levels, digestion, and diet to create a comprehensive treatment plan that supports your body's natural healing processes.

4. Culturally Competent Care: I recognize the importance of cultural practices in your skincare and haircare routines. Whether it's understanding the impact of certain hair care practices, or wearing of religious or hair protective head coverings, I incorporate this knowledge into your treatment plans to ensure they are respectful and effective.

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Learn More About Chinese Medicine and Holistic Dermatology.

 

Specialized Training Includes:

Atopic Dermatitis Summit 2024: To address an unmet need for education on the incidence of and the latest therapies for AD on skin of color among dermatologists and general practitioners. Hosted by Skin Spectrum Summit, with Dr. Marissa Joseph.

 

17th Annual Skin of Color Update Conference 2021 hosted by Skin of Color Society covering topics ranging from structural racism in dermatology, to atopic dermatitis, pigmentary disorders, hair disorders and much more taught by numerous speakers.

 

Diverse Phenotypes of Atopic Dermatitis: From Immunopathogenesis to Clinical Presentation. This presentation focuses on the heterogeneity and diverse phenotypes of atopic dermatitis. It encompasses an in depth view of the immunopathogenesis of atopic dermatitis and highlights the cytokines that are the key drivers of the signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis. Presented by Leo Medical Affairs February 2021

 

Indigenous Skin Spectrum Summit: Presented by The Canadian Conference on Ethnodermatology  This virtual Summit will seek to improve the cultural competence of healthcare providers and will give practical advice on treating Indigenous patients. March 2021  

 

Skin Spectrum Summit: Presented by the Canadian Conference on Ethnodermatology and Skin of Color October 2020 

 

The Impact of Skin Color and Ethnicity on Clinical Diagnosis and Research Presented by VisualDx  Description: Implicit bias and structural racism play a central role in the development of health care disparities. One of the critically important areas in medicine is the misdiagnosis of disease in people with darker skin types due to implicit bias and the lack of awareness among physicians in recognizing the disease pattern. This event series is brought to you by NEJM Group, the Skin of Color Society Foundation (a non-profit, with its mission of education, mentoring, and research in skin of color), and VisualDx (the leading visual clinical decision support system). November 2020

 

View more of my training and experience on my biography page.

 

Your Path to Healthier Skin

I invite you to take the first step towards healthier skin by scheduling a consultation with me. During your visit, we will conduct a thorough assessment, discuss your concerns, and develop a personalized plan tailored to your needs.

Schedule your consultation and experience the benefits of culturally competent, holistic skincare.