Ethnic skin disorders overview

Abstract

With the changing demographics of the US population, there is a need to understand the variety of dermatologic disorders that manifest in ethnic groups of non-Caucasian skin types. This article provides a review of presentations and current treatments of several common dermatologic diagnoses in black, Hispanic, and Asian racial groups and compares them with the presentations in Caucasian skin. The specific diagnoses discussed in the different racial groups include acne; pigmentary disorders such as postinflammatory hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation, vitiligo, and melasma; and photoaging. Because the majority of the world's population already consists of people with pigmented skin and the population within the United States is approximately one-third non-Caucasian, physicians who practice in the field of dermatology today need a thorough understanding of non-Caucasian dermatoses.