appearance by Amber Lowe; appearance by Channing Hargrove; appearance by Kia Breanne; produced by Raven Baker; appearance by Rissa Papillion; produced by Rissa Papillion; edited by Rissa Papillion.
Imagine leaving your house in 90-degree weather wearing long sleeves and pants; or waking up before everyone at a sleepover to put on layers of makeup, so that no one gets a glimpse of your bare face; or hitting up the beach fully-clothed — all because of your hyperpigmentation. The scenarios may seem farfetched, but they are all real experiences Black women share in the latest episode of Go Off Sis.
"If you get acne and you're a brown person or a Black woman, you're going to get hyperpigmentation in some shape or form," Amber Kenni Lowe says. And she's right: According to Adeline Kikam, DO, dermatology resident and founder of the popular Brownskin Derm Instagram account, hyperpigmentation is one of the most common concerns in skin of color.
In the video above, Lowe and three other Black women discuss their experiences with the skin condition, how it's influenced their self confidence, and how they've come to terms with their dark spots. "I never left the house without putting something on my skin," Channing Hargrove, a Refinery29 fashion writer shares. Rissa Papillion, a R29 video producer, also recalls a time she was ashamed to leave her apartment. "I just didn't know what to do because I had so many bad scars on my face," she says.
Click play to hear more. Then, tell us about your history with hyperpigmentation in the comments.