Heritage Month gives South Africans an opportunity to celebrate the diversity that shapes
who we are, from our cultures and traditions to the languages we speak. Yet that diversity is
also visible in something we see every day: the extraordinary spectrum of South African
skin.
For Dr Leslie Nteta, dermatologist and creator of Dermopal®, this is an important part of the
conversation because skincare advice has not always reflected the people using it.
“South Africans have an incredible range of skin tones, yet for a long time many people with
skin of colour have had to navigate skincare advice that did not necessarily speak to their
own concerns or experiences,” says Dr Nteta. “If we want people to make informed
decisions about their skin, the information we give them needs to reflect that diversity.”
Melanin is an obvious place to start, although it is often misunderstood as simply the
pigment that makes skin darker. In reality, melanin is present across the spectrum of human
skin tones and has antioxidant and photoprotective properties. The amount and type of
eumelanin in the epidermis help determine complexion and sensitivity to ultraviolet
radiation.1
The term “melanin-rich” can often be confusing. Every skin tone contains melanin,
expressed in different forms and amounts, and understanding that spectrum gives us a
more inclusive way to talk about skin.1
The biology also helps explain some familiar skincare frustrations. In darker skin tones,
melanocytes can be particularly reactive to inflammation or injury, producing excess
melanin after something as common as acne or dermatitis. The original breakout may
disappear, but the dark mark it leaves behind can remain for considerably longer.2
For someone who has spent months trying to fade those marks, knowing why they happen
can change the way they approach their skin. Rather than simply reaching for the latest
trending product, they can look for care that takes pigmentation and the way their own skin
responds into account.
This is where representation in skincare becomes more meaningful than seeing different
complexions in advertising. It also means recognising that people’s skin concerns can differ
and ensuring they have access to relevant information and appropriate formulations.
That information becomes particularly valuable when consumers are surrounded by
skincare advice online. A routine that works beautifully for one person’s complexion may
not address another person’s concerns, while a viral ingredient cannot take into account an
individual’s skin history or response to inflammation. Giving consumers context about why
their skin behaves in a particular way can help them make sense of the enormous amount of
advice they encounter every day.
There is also an opportunity to broaden the language we use around skin. When certain
complexions are treated as the default, everyone outside that narrow definition is left to
work out where they fit. South Africa’s diversity gives us every reason to move beyond that
approach and recognise a spectrum of skin with different experiences and needs.
It is an idea that has shaped Dr Nteta’s own work, including the development of Dermopal®,
a proudly South African skincare range created with skin of colour in mind. But he believes
the conversation needs to reach well beyond any one product or range.
“When people understand their skin, they can make choices based on what it actually needs
rather than what they have been told it should look like,” he says. “That is why education
and representation in skincare need to go together.”
Heritage Month celebrates the many histories and identities that make South Africa what it
is. Perhaps our understanding of skin deserves the same breadth, recognising the many
shades around us and making sure that the skincare conversation has room for all of them.