Color differences in skin are due to the amount and distribution of epidermal melanin. The number of melanocytes is almost the same in all skin types, but higher phototypes exhibit more melanocytes, which produce more melanin and melanosomes that are individually distributed throughout the keratinocyte layers. This characteristic ensures a natural, significant photoprotection in darker skins. Asians are a population with various skin phototypes, ranging from type III to IV Fitzpatrick's classification in Chinese and Japanese to type IV and V in Indian and Pakistani people. Asian skin tends to present postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, melasma, lentigines and freckles, nevus of Ota, and Hori nevus. The main skin diseases reported in Asians are acne, atopic dermatitis, and viral infections. Wrinkles and skin thickness, early signs of aging in Caucasians, are less evident in Asian skin. However, pigmentary changes occur earlier. Additionally, this ethnic population is increasing worldwide. The aim of this study is to show the importance of studying the characteristics of Asian skin for the better management of skin diseases in this population, which are being increasingly observed in doctor's offices. Based on a broad review of the medical literature, we report the characteristics of Asian skin, as well as some dyschromias and common skin disorders in this ethnic group. The objective of the article is to study the characteristics of Asian skin and differences in relation to other ethnic groups to achieve improved clinical and cosmetic management of diseases and other skin disorders. This article will discuss the concept of beauty in different ethnic groups, treatments with lasers and other light sources, and cosmiatric treatments in Asian skin. An extensive review of the literature was performed using the databases Scielo and Bireme, from Medline and Lilacs sources, over the last 50 years. The keywords used were as follows: Asian skin, ethnic skin, melanin. Due to the peculiarities of each ethnic group, this article demonstrates the importance of studying the characteristics of Asian skin to elucidate improved cosmiatric approaches for these patients.

Acne in adult women is a hard-to-manage frequent disease with many relapse cases. It mostly interferes with quality of life and causes major social and metabolic losses for patients. This is a transversal retrospective study and the aim was to standardize the research on circulating androgenic hormone levels and to detect hyperandrogenic states early, showing the frequency and the pattern of the altered hormones, useful resources to correctly evaluate each patient. In this study 835 women above 15 years of age, with acne or aggravation cases, were analyzed. The aim was to verify the percentage of androgen examinations with levels above normal. The levels of the hormones dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydrotestosterone, androstenedione and total testosterone were measured in all patients. The evaluation of the hormone profile showed that 54.56% of the patients had hyperandrogenism, and the levels of DHEA were most frequently elevated. Therefore, in the face of the importance of hyperandrogenism in the pathogenesis of acne, standardizing the research of the hormone profile is paramount for the treatment and control of relapses in case of a surge of acne breakouts during a woman's adult life.

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ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to establish the lipid profile of female patients with acne in the Acne-in-Adult-Women Ambulatory Care Clinic in order to observe the prevalence of dyslipidemia in those patients.MethodsThis is a retrospective transversal study that evaluated the medical records of 416 patients who attended at the Acne-in-Adult-Women Ambulatory Care Clinic, at the Dermatology Department, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil, in the year 2012. Relevant data included age and clinical classification of acne. The lipid profile was analyzed according to the results of laboratory tests ordered during outpatient visits, which included total and fractionated cholesterol levels and triglycerides.ResultsThe epidemiological study sample was of 219 patients, with ages ranging from 21 to 61 years (mean of 32.23 years). The predominant clinical grade was papule-pustule acne (grade II) with 156 patients (71%). Regarding the lipid profile of the patients, there was a high increase in total cholesterol levels in 17.35% of the cases. High-density lipoprotein levels were low in 11.42% of the patients, with normal prevalence in 194 subjects. Low-density lipoprotein levels were normal in most patients (60.27%). Very-low-density lipoprotein values were normal in almost all patients (94.06%) and increased in only 13 patients (5.94%). Only 18 patients presented high levels of triglycerides (8.22%).ConclusionThe conclusion was that patients with grades II and III acne are more likely to have total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein altered. A correct and early diagnosis can be an important measure for the prevention of the metabolic syndrome in these patients.