Special Care for Dark Skin...
Special Care for Dark Skin...
...and a few resources for where to get it
This comes to you fresh from Maine, where I’m staring at the heavenly seascape pictured below, taking deep breaths, and, as HNTFUYF closes in on 100 consecutive posts, asking your forgiveness for this short one. As always, if you’re happy to be reading, please tap the little ❤ above. It sends a certain freelance writer over the moon.
“Ask Val” answers your urgent questions, Vol. 35
Q: I'm in my late 30s and have had two pregnancies resulting in (among other things) some hyperpigmentation on my face and some acne that has left light scarring.
I would love to know if there are any laser treatments that might help. But here's the catch: I have a dark complexion and there never seems to be advice specific to my skin concerns. I’d welcome any thoughts you might offer!
A: To your point, when I briefly tried to answer your question myself, I came up with a whole lotta Duh. So I called on my favorite dermatologist in North Carolina, Brooke Jackson, who offered the following wisdom:
Because of the high risk of pigmentary changes in skin of color, you should approach with caution any procedure involving lasers, chemical peels, and microneedling. You absolutely need to see a doctor who is experienced in treating skin of color and who understands the potential complications.
Your concerns in particular often require a multimodal approach which should be customized to your skin type and condition. So an in-person consultation with a dermatologist who can evaluate your skin would be your first step. Need help finding such a doctor? Here are three great databases and resources to start:
Book Club News: New book about a rich lady who lived a long time!
Though I’ve been a latecomer to audiobooks, once I discovered them I couldn’t get enough. I borrow them from the public library, but as I’ve mentioned before, sometimes the library snatches them back before I can finish. So I'm happy to share I'm partnering with Chirp to organize an audiobook club of biographies and memoirs called “Unfiltered Women.” Two things: It’s free to subscribe and Chirp offers great deals. Plus, you obviously get to keep the book to listen to at your leisure.
Here’s how it works. Every other month I’ll announce a new book club pick we’ll listen to together. You’ll have a chance to share your thoughts on the book a few weeks later and hear what other readers thought, too. My third pick is the biography Bunny Mellon: The Life of an American Style Legend by the superb reporter Meryl Gordon. I’m not alone in wondering what it’s like to be wildly wealthy (consider the success of shows about the Kardashians and the “real” housewives). I don’t watch those shows, but I do love to read about the wealthiest of the wealthy. For me, the story of Bunny Mellon—high society and serious horticulturalist (she designed the White House Rose Garden), patron of the arts, wife of multimillionaire Paul Mellon—is like a piece of rich chocolate cake; I don’t want a steady diet of it, but it’s delicious. How well-off was she? Though she owned many homes (in the Caribbean, Paris, New York, Cape Cod, and Nantucket), her main residence was a 4,000-acre estate in Virginia with its own mile-long airstrip to accommodate her private plane. Unlike some other socialites of her time like Slim Keith, Mellon was not a great beauty. But she surrounded herself with beautiful things: gorgeous table settings, magnificent bouquets, exquisite gardening outfits designed by Balenciaga and Givenchy. The most satisfying takeaway from this account of a long and privileged life (Mellon lived to 103)? In spite of the opportunities open to them, the rich are no happier than you or me.
To get started, go to chirpbooks.com/val and press FOLLOW to join my club. (Again, it’s free and there is NO commitment.) There, for a limited time, you can buy Bunny Mellon for only $4.99 (normally $25.98), including a 50% discount with code VAL50 if it's your first Chirp purchase.
Val Asks You
Don’t be shy! What’s your most vexing or intractable appearance issue? Send your beauty-related questions to valeriemonroe@substack.com. If I don’t have a good answer, I’ll find someone who does.
HNTFUYF, a Payola-Free Zone
Readers, a few of you have wondered aloud to me if I get a cut from sales when I mention a beauty product. I do not. I only mention products I’d like to buy myself, and therefore think you might like, too. I share this so you know my recommendations are offered without obligation. All posts and the archive are free; there’s currently no paywall. I rely on readers for financial support, so please consider becoming a paying subscriber if you can.
You deserve Maine's healing powers!