Perceptions of Sun Protection, Skin Tone, Colorism, and Dermatologic Care Among South Asians in the USA.

South Asians (SAs) are among the fastest growing populations in the USA. Colorism - the system of inequality that views lighter skin as more advantageous in society - is prevalent in SA culture. This study evaluates motivations of sun protection use, attitudes of colorism, and skin lightening (SL) practices among SA Americans. Two-hundred-four participants recruited from online forums and ResearchMatch completed a questionnaire. Over half (111/204) reported use of sunscreen, of which 39.6% (44/111) reported daily or frequent use. Nearly half of respondents (98/204) believed that they are not at risk for skin cancer, with 37.7% (77/204) reporting minimal knowledge of skin cancers and only 4.9% (10/204) receiving a total body skin exam. One-third (65/204) reported being more concerned about prevention of tanning than skin cancer. In total, 38.2% (78/204) of respondents reported use of SL products, of which 33.3% (26/78) reported hydroquinone-based products and 26.9% (21/78) were unaware of the ingredients in their SL product. Only 16.7% (13/78) consulted a medical professional before using SL products. While many agreed that SA culture places high importance on light skin with regards to beauty standards (82.3%, 168/204), less noted that lighter skin is more beautiful (37.0%, 74/204). SL users more strongly agreed with colorism attitudes than non-users. Limitations include a small sample size with younger participants. Dermatologists must be mindful of the cultural motivations for skin tone preferences, sun protection habits, and SL behaviors and provide culturally relevant education on sunscreen, skin cancer, and risks of SL for the SA community.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine in vitiligo: a cross-sectional survey.

Vitiligo is characterized by skin depigmentation, which can lead to profound psychological effects and decreased quality of life, especially for those with skin of color. Individuals with vitiligo may utilize complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) due to limited treatment options with varying efficacy.An anonymous, multiple-choice, cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed to participants with vitiligo in the United States through online forums. Data on disease characteristics, use of prescription medications, use of topical therapies, supplements, and diets, and perceptions of CAM were collected.In total, 625 respondents completed the survey. Overall, 32.5% of participants (203/625) have tried CAM. Commonly reported CAM include supplements of vitamin D (57.7%, 116/203), vitamin B12 (46.3%, 93/203), vitamin C (27.4%, 55/203), topical Nigella sativa oil (26.4%, 53/203), oral omega-3 fatty acids (24.9%, 50/203), folic acid (22.9%, 46/203), and vitamin E (22.9%, 46/203). Frequently cited reasons for CAM use include desire to try "new" (40.4%, 82/203) or "more natural" (26.6%, 54/203) therapies, "frustration with conventional medicine" (24.6%, 50/203), and fear of "adverse side effects of conventional medicine" (23.6%, 48/203). Non-White participants were more likely than their White counterparts to report CAM use and have more positive perceptions of CAM therapies. Less than half (43.3%, 88/203) of CAM users reported that they disclosed their use of CAM with their physician.Dermatologists should be mindful of CAM and ask patients about their use. Further investigation of the role of CAM as adjuvant therapy for vitiligo is warranted to better advise patients.

Consumer attitudes toward aging skin during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on consumer attitudes toward their skin has not been well characterized. Objective: This study investigated how consumers' attitudes toward their skin changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using REDCap. A total of 1,434 participants were recruited and consented to participate online through ResearchMatch. The survey gathered demographic information and assessed participants' attitudes toward their skin using a Likert scale. An ordered logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: Nearly one-third of participants felt unhappy with their skin. Forty four percent feel less happy about their skin compared with 5 years earlier. The top skin concerns were eye puffiness (86.5%), loose skin (85.1%), uneven tone (84.9%), uneven texture (83.5%), and dry skin (81.4%). Video conferencing (31%), wearing masks (23%), and increased stress (21%) during the COVID-19 pandemic affected how participants felt about their skin. Compared with men, women were 1.6 to 1.8 times (P < .01) more likely to "strongly agree" that all 3 pandemic-related factors-video conferencing, wearing masks, and increased stress-affected how they felt about their skin. Younger age groups were 1.5 to 2.8 times (P < .01) more likely to answer in the top category for all 3 pandemic-related factors compared with the oldest age group. Limitations: Recruitment of participants was limited to English-speaking adults aged 18 years or older who were registered on ResearchMatch, which underrepresents minority populations. Further studies should be conducted to elucidate how the pandemic affected perceptions of skin. Conclusion: Skin aging is a significant concern among adults of all ages. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated skin concerns. Women and young adults are more likely to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in their attitudes toward their skin.