Understanding the Female African American Facial Aesthetic Patient

BACKGROUND: The patient populations seeking facial aesthetic treatments is expanding in terms of racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity. While treatment of facial aging patterns among white women is well-documented, far less information describes the aesthetic needs of the African American patient. OBJECTIVE: An online study was conducted to survey facial aesthetic concerns and treatment priorities among US-based population of African American women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 401 female African American participants ages 30 to 65 years reported their attitudes toward facial aging, current facial conditions, most bothersome facial areas and areas most/least likely to be treated first, awareness of treatment options and their consideration rates, and motives and barriers factoring into consideration of injectable treatments. RESULTS: Uneven skin tone/color (57%) and dark circles under the eyes (48%) were the most frequently-reported facial concerns. Other common bothersome facial areas affected by signs of aging were the submental area, periorbital area, forehead lines, and chin. Similarly, areas given greater priority with respect to future treatment included the periorbital area, submental area, and forehead lines. With advancing age, priorities heightened for the mid and lower facial areas, which included the nasolabial folds, chin, and oral commissures. Although the majority of participants would consider injectables, cost, and safety/side effects were cited as frequent concerns. CONCLUSION: For African American women, concerns about facial aging may be less about fine lines and wrinkles caused by increasing skin laxity, and more about pigmentary concerns and shifts in underlying soft tissue volume. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(9):858-866.