Eczemaon dark skin often looks purplish, brown, or ash-gray.
For this reason, eczema may be misdiagnosed more often in darker-skinned people.
In addition, symptoms may be more severe, and scars may be more problematic.
Zoe Hansen / Verywell Health
It affects people of all ethnicities and skin colors.
In contrast, 16.1% of White children and 7.8% of Asian children have eczema.
A 2019 study found similar results.
Reproduced with permission from © DermNet New Zealandwww.dermnetnz.org2023.
But the numbers by themselves may not tell the full story.
Diagnosis, exposure to eczema triggers, and severity of symptoms can vary between ethnic groups.
Eczema Triggers and Risk Factors
Eczema iscausedby inflammation in the skin.
Julie Bang / Verywell
A variety of factors can contribute to inflammation in eczema, including environmental factors, genetics, andimmune systemhyperactivity.
In addition, genetic mutations that affect skin health are more common in some ethnic groups compared to others.
Experts believe that this may help explain why people of color may experience greater severity of eczema symptoms.
On lighter skin, eczema usually appears red and dry.
However, the appearance on people of color is generally darker.
On darker skin tones, eczema can appear:
The difference in appearance is important for several reasons.
Hyperpigmentation is more common in people of color.
Reproduced with permission from DermNet New Zealandwww.dermnetnz.org2023.
Misdiagnosis can also occur because skin patches may be less visible on darker skin.
Only 4.5% of the images included were of dark skin tones.
A primary contributing factor is the lack of health insurance.
Non-Hispanic Blacks are 70% more likely than non-Hispanic whites to not have health insurance.
When you meet with your provider, you could expect a physical examination and an evaluation of your symptoms.
You will also have the opportunity to ask questions.
In most cases, visual observation is adequate to make an eczema diagnosis.
In some situations, a provider may also collect a skin sample to examine the tissue.
A provider will also gather your medical and family history during your appointment.
Questions to Ask
Before your appointment, write down a list of questions for the healthcare provider.
This will help empower you to make educated decisions about the treatment you receive.
Also, some symptoms may be more persistent in darker-skinned people.
So the treatment protocol may involve dealing with pigment changes.
Does Dark Skin Prolong Eczema Treatment?
Eczema symptoms andtreatmentare similar for light and dark skin tones.
However, eczema rashes may be less visible on darker skin.
This can present challenges for a timely diagnosis and can possibly delay or prolong treatment.
Also, phototherapy can sometimes be an option in cases of severe eczema.
If you experience lasting pigment changes from eczema, there are some othersolutions to consider.
However, it is important that the eczema flare-up has completely resolved before addressing skin color changes.
In-office procedures may include laser treatments, chemical peels, or microneedling.
Summary
Eczema can affect people of any skin tone and may present differently on darker skin.
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