{"title":"Skin diversity and skin of colour","authors":"Nicolas Kluger","doi":"10.1002/jvc2.496","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><i>Diversity</i> can be defined as ‘all characteristics and experiences that define each of us as individuals’. A common misconception about diversity is that it would only apply to certain persons or groups, while it is the exact opposite. Diversity includes the entire spectrum of primary dimensions of an individual, including ethnicity, gender, age, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. Secondary dimensions commonly include communication style, work style, organizational role/level, economic status, and geographic origin.<span><sup>1</sup></span> How to define <i>skin diversity</i> in this case? It refers to a wide range of variations in human skin, including differences in colour, textures, tones, and so on, considering genetic factors, environmental exposures, and cultural practices. Understanding skin diversity is crucial for fostering inclusivity and providing effective care tailored to the unique needs of individuals.</p><p>For this current special issue on skin diversity of the JEADV Clinical practice, we chose to highlight various aspect around skin of colour (SoC).</p><p>The presentation of many skin diseases on SoC may be different from that seen on light skin. An inexperienced practitioner can quickly be in a situation of failure in consultation. The very first step is to sensitize medical students early in their curriculum to SoC.<span><sup>2, 3</sup></span> Trained residents and graduated practitioners can benefit from university training courses,<span><sup>4</sup></span> lectures, or workshops in meetings or congresses. The increase of specific iconography featuring SoC in medical atlases is warranted.<span><sup>5</sup></span> Proper training will help prevent intellectual biases that are not rare in our experience with patients with SoC.<span><sup>6</sup></span></p><p>The proper knowledge of the basic epidemiology of skin diseases among SoC is also crucial. The pattern of skin diseases a dermatologist encounters is way different whether he is an office-based dermatologist in a capital of a Western country, a practitioner working closely with immigrants or refugees that have recently arrived in the country<span><sup>7</sup></span> or directly in Africa<span><sup>8</sup></span> or South America.<span><sup>9</sup></span></p><p>A review by Nadège Cordel summarizes the clinical presentation of systemic diseases in Afro-Caribbean patients,<span><sup>10</sup></span> while several case reports illustrate some conditions that are specific for SoC.<span><sup>11, 12</sup></span></p><p>Lastly, the review by Schuster et al. about the efficacy of of Isobutylamido-Thiazolyl-Resorcinol on hyperpigmentation of the skin<span><sup>13</sup></span> reminds us that postinflammatory pigmentation and hyperpigmentation in general are frequent and disabling symptoms in persons of colour.</p><p>The wide spectrum of topics covered in this special issue of the JEADV clinical practice illustrates how vast the field of skin of colour dermatology is.</p><p>The author declares no conflict of interest.</p>","PeriodicalId":94325,"journal":{"name":"JEADV clinical practice","volume":"3 3","pages":"793-794"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jvc2.496","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"JEADV clinical practice","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jvc2.496","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Diversity can be defined as ‘all characteristics and experiences that define each of us as individuals’. A common misconception about diversity is that it would only apply to certain persons or groups, while it is the exact opposite. Diversity includes the entire spectrum of primary dimensions of an individual, including ethnicity, gender, age, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. Secondary dimensions commonly include communication style, work style, organizational role/level, economic status, and geographic origin.1 How to define skin diversity in this case? It refers to a wide range of variations in human skin, including differences in colour, textures, tones, and so on, considering genetic factors, environmental exposures, and cultural practices. Understanding skin diversity is crucial for fostering inclusivity and providing effective care tailored to the unique needs of individuals.
For this current special issue on skin diversity of the JEADV Clinical practice, we chose to highlight various aspect around skin of colour (SoC).
The presentation of many skin diseases on SoC may be different from that seen on light skin. An inexperienced practitioner can quickly be in a situation of failure in consultation. The very first step is to sensitize medical students early in their curriculum to SoC.2, 3 Trained residents and graduated practitioners can benefit from university training courses,4 lectures, or workshops in meetings or congresses. The increase of specific iconography featuring SoC in medical atlases is warranted.5 Proper training will help prevent intellectual biases that are not rare in our experience with patients with SoC.6
The proper knowledge of the basic epidemiology of skin diseases among SoC is also crucial. The pattern of skin diseases a dermatologist encounters is way different whether he is an office-based dermatologist in a capital of a Western country, a practitioner working closely with immigrants or refugees that have recently arrived in the country7 or directly in Africa8 or South America.9
A review by Nadège Cordel summarizes the clinical presentation of systemic diseases in Afro-Caribbean patients,10 while several case reports illustrate some conditions that are specific for SoC.11, 12
Lastly, the review by Schuster et al. about the efficacy of of Isobutylamido-Thiazolyl-Resorcinol on hyperpigmentation of the skin13 reminds us that postinflammatory pigmentation and hyperpigmentation in general are frequent and disabling symptoms in persons of colour.
The wide spectrum of topics covered in this special issue of the JEADV clinical practice illustrates how vast the field of skin of colour dermatology is.