Face It
"Face It" is a podcast that cuts through the noise of the beauty industry by offering expert, practical insights that are to the point and value your time. We help you look and feel your best by uncovering what works, what doesn’t, and how to make beauty and wellness a sustainable part of your life.
Face It
Why the Skincare Industry Is Failing Melanin-Rich Skin
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The skincare industry has been leaving melanin-rich skin out of the conversation for too long. A board-certified dermatologist is here to change that.
In this episode of Face It, Bari sits down with Dr. Adeline Kikam — board-certified dermatologist, founder of Skin Inclusive Dermatology, and the leading voice behind Brown Skin Derm — to cut through the misinformation around melanin-rich skin and explore what inclusive dermatology actually looks like in practice. From the sunscreen myth that refuses to die to the real dangers of the wrong laser on darker skin tones, Dr. Kikam brings clinical expertise and lived experience to a conversation that's equal parts educational and deeply personal.
We cover:
• What melanin actually is — and why we all have the same number of melanocytes
• The key differences between darker and lighter skin tones that change everything about how you treat your skin
• Why the belief that melanin-rich skin does not require sun protection is not only a misconception but a genuinely harmful one
• How to choose the right sunscreen for melanin-rich skin — and why tinted mineral sunscreen is the most effective choice
• Why hyperpigmentation is so persistent in skin of color and how to actually treat it
• The difference between hyperpigmentation and scarring — and why confusing them leads to the wrong treatment
• How to build a basic dermatologist-approved skincare routine for melanin-rich skin
• Why chemical exfoliation beats physical exfoliation — and how to pick the right one for your skin type
• What to know before getting a chemical peel or laser treatment if you have darker skin
• What microneedling actually does and why it's one of the safest and most effective procedures for skin of color
• The Black-owned and melanin-focused brands Dr. Kikam has on her radar right now
• A full product lightning round — love it, leave it, or be cautious — on the most popular hyperpigmentation treatments
• Why skin cancer in melanin-rich skin is often caught too late — and what you can do about it
• What inspired Dr. Kikam to start Brown Skin Derm and build a practice centered on inclusive care
• What she wishes the beauty and skincare industry would change about how it approaches skin of color
Watch now and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Intro
SPEAKER_04There's a very common myth that people say that darker skin doesn't need sunscreen.
SPEAKER_03It's more nuanced than that, right? It is true that it has more melanin that is UV protective.
SPEAKER_04It has a higher baseline UV protection. You said melanin rich skin has a less chance of developing skin cancer.
SPEAKER_03So they're less at risk of um developing sun-induced skin cancers, but they do get other types of cancers. You can do all that, but without sunscreen, it's like it doesn't matter.
SPEAKER_04Historically in the beauty industry, skincare conversations haven't fully reflected the experiences of those with melanin-rich skin. The result? A lack of knowledge, representation, and guidance tailored to individuals' unique needs.
SPEAKER_03My biggest skin struggle was acne. For some people, it's like eczema. Mine was like acne. And I'll actually like pray. I'll be like, please, I'll behave better and just take this acne.
SPEAKER_04Is there anything people with melanin-rich skin should consider before getting procedures?
SPEAKER_03We can't do things that are too abrasive because you pick the wrong laser, it can again cause more damage. And I've seen those videos on TikTok. It's not a good look. Next one's gonna be the ordinary glycolic acid.
SPEAKER_04Okay, I love it, but be cautious. If you could change one thing about how the beauty industry approaches skin of color, what would it be? Welcome to Face It, the podcast that cuts through the noise of the beauty industry. I'm your host, Barry, and today we are sitting down with a dermatologist to discuss what makes melanin-rich skin distinct and how to care for it with science-backed solutions. My guest today is Dr. Adeline Keekum, better known as Brown Skin Derm. She's a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Inclusive Dermatology. She is one of the leading voices advocating for inclusive dermatology and making sure black and brown skin is not left out of the conversation.
Meet Dr. Kikam
SPEAKER_04Dr. Keekum, welcome to Face It. Hi, Barry. Hi, we're so excited to have you. The pleasure is totally mine. Thanks for having me. Yeah, and we can't wait to just dive into you know everything about melanin-rich skin and you know, listen to all the ins and outs and all the advice and knowledge that that you have. I'm ready. Awesome. Okay, so let's let's just dive
What Exactly Is Melanin?
SPEAKER_04into it. Yes. Cool. So I wanted to give a little bit of education on melanin in general. So what exactly is melanin?
SPEAKER_03Great question, right? We talk about melanin a lot. So melanin is a pigment, and this is a pigment that is responsible for the color of your hair, skin, and even eyes. It is produced by uh melanocytes, and interestingly, like we all are born, regardless of you know, your your shade, tone, we're all born with the same number of melanocytes, right? And uh, but the difference here is that in darker skin tones, the melanocytes are more reactive, they produce more melanin. Uh, the melanin, the distribution of the melanin is on skin is you know it it's wider versus like more compact in lighter skin tones. And uh melanine, there are two types of melanin we should know about. There is fiomelanine, which usually gives the red or yellow color, and then there is u melanin, which is responsible for dark and brown um colors. And uh I always tell people it's not that I have melanin and you don't, it really comes down to the ratio, right? So if you have more U melanin, you have more darker or melanin-rich um skin versus theomelanin, and that's what it comes down to. But other than that, too, melanin also is responsible for UV protection. And it also um helps our skin respond to inflammation. So it has this wonderful benefit. It's on our skin, it's in our part of our skin for a reason, right? It offers UV protection. And when you have melanin-rich skin, you have more melanin or higher baseline um UV protection from the sun. And this is wonderful because it helps delay signs of what we call photoaging, like fine lines and wrinkles. But on the flip side, those reactive melanocytes, every time there's inflammation, are going to produce more melanin, and then we have the issue of hyperpigmentation, right? So uh that is really the gist of um this pigment called melanin that is wonderful. Amazing. Thank you.
Differences Between Lighter and Darker Skin Tones
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_04So, what are some other differences between lighter skin tones and darker skin tones?
SPEAKER_03Okay, so when it comes to melanin-rich skin or darker skin tones, I've already mentioned it's more prone to you know the hyperpigmentation because the melanocytes tend to be more reactive. And every time you have injury or inflammation, eczema, post acne or um acne and um any kind of abrasion or injury to the skin, it responds by producing more melanin, right? But it is also more likely to um result in scarring when injured or inflamed, uh, especially keloids, very, very common condition in melanin-rich skin or darker skin tones. And then there's also the barrier aspect and moisture. Uh, studies show that melanin-rich skin has less ceramite, so we need to be intentional about moisturizing because it's more prone to uh dryness and irritation or loss of or transepidermal water loss. So we're talking skin barrier um differences when it comes to transepidermal water loss. We have the more prone to scarring and uh the hyperpigmentation aspect as well. Awesome.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
The Sunscreen Myth: Does Melanin Rich Skin Still Need SPF?
SPEAKER_04Yeah. So you mentioned how melanin-rich skin has a protective aspect to it when it comes to like the sun. So I was curious because there's a very common myth that people say that darker skin doesn't need sunscreen. I wanted you to touch on why this myth is so harmful and what people should be looking for in sunscreens when they have melanin-rich skin.
SPEAKER_03Actually, thanks for uh bringing up that question because it's more nuanced than that, right? Because we don't want to give the impression that just simply having more melanin just makes um skin, you know, um all protective against ultraviolet radiation. Now, is it is true that um because we we with melanin-rich skin, um, it has more melanin that is UV protective, it has a higher baseline UV protection. Matter of fact, we think um the the SPF of melanin-rich skin is about an SPF of 10 to 13. So that's great. Yeah, and um, but it is not all protective, it's not enough. It's going to um delays um skin from or make skin less likely to burn compared to others, right? Um, but it is not all protective. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, an SPF of 30 broad spectrum SPF of 30 is what will really, at minimum, right? Right. Is what will really give you that adequate um layer of protection. That's why all skin tones, including melanin-rich skin, should wear um sunscreen to prevent ultraviolet radiation damage, not only on melanin, but also when it comes to um inducing skin cancers, when it comes to causing photoaging like wrinkles, fine lines, and just you know, sunburns or irritating skin. We should all use sunscreen. Right. However, yes, indeed, when it comes to melanin-rich skin, um, having that higher baseline of ultraviolet radiation protection is very helpful. For sure. Yeah. That's awesome.
SPEAKER_04So you mentioned how hyperpigmentation is very common in melanin-rich
Why Is Hyperpigmentation So Common in Skin of Color?
SPEAKER_04skin. Could you kind of dive a bit deeper on why it's so common in skin of color and what's the best way to treat it safely?
SPEAKER_03Again, um, having that hyperreactive or more reactive uh melanocytes, that anytime there's injury, bug bites, acne, eczema, even like abrasions, anything that irritates or inflames the skin, it's going to react by producing more melanin. Then we get to like uneven skin tones and then hyperpigmentation. And unfortunately, that hyperpigmentation sometimes tends to last even longer after the injury that caused it has happened. And for the for the longest, that's what was my frustration as somebody that dealt with acne. I always tell people it's not like the acne that really bothers me. Right. It's like what I have to deal with, you know, after because it's a constant reminder, right? As like, you know, um the hyperpigmentation is fading, another one is popping up, like another acne lesion is popping up, and it's just like walking. Well, like you're just trying to chase the pigment, right? Right. So um that's why in melanin rich skin is really, really always prone to like um hyperpigmentation, and we should be very careful how we approach it in terms of how we treat it and um whether skincare-wise or procedures that we use
How to Treat Hyperpigmentation
SPEAKER_03on it.
SPEAKER_04Right. So you mentioned hyperpigmentation. What are some different ways to treat hyperpigmentation?
SPEAKER_03That's a great question. I always tell people with hyperpigmentation it's good to have you know a multi approach to it, right? Sun protection. We've already talked about how that UV-induced um inflammation or radiation can really activate those melanocytes to respond by depositing more melanin, right? So it's very important in any treatment for hyperpigmentation to make sure that we have sun protection involved. And then when we have excessive melanin production, we want to regulate that. And that's where our tyrosinase inhibitors come in. Things like cogic acid that are really good about, you know, decreasing that excess melanin formation and lightening that spot. And then I love antioxidants. Again, inflammation inflammation. We want to reduce inflammation by using a calming ingredient like vitamin C or any other antioxidants for that matter. I'm not married to vitamin C. I'm open to all other types of antioxidants. But I think it's very important to include it in a skincare routine. And then the gentle exfoliation, right? Very important because when you have the dead skin buildup and it has melanin too, we want to be able to exfoliate it away and brighten that area, decrease the hyperpigmentation. And that's why your alpha and beta-hydroxy acids come in, like a glycolic acid or psyllic acid. So those aspects are really important. And then believe it or not, having a moisturized or well-healed skin barrier is very important. So moisturization, I always advocate for it, especially moisturizers with lipids that can really replenish that skin barrier while you're addressing the hyperpigmentation. And in a basic skincare routine, those are the things that I would make sure I have again sun protection, exfoliation, antioxidants, and uh good barrier or gentle skincare in
Preventative vs. Reactive: When Should You Start Treating?
SPEAKER_03general.
SPEAKER_04Amazing. Do you think the skincare aspect of it are typically things you should do to be more preventative of hyperpigmentation, or they're more of a treatment for afterwards?
SPEAKER_03So when it comes to um or my philosophy, when it comes to treating um hyperpigmentation or on even skin tone, I think the process would be um protective and reactive as well. So why is it protective? That's where your sunscreen comes in, right? Right. Um you want to be applying that regardless of whether you have the hyperpigmentation or not, but especially if you have the hyperpigmentation, your antioxidants can be also protective and um um reactive in the sense that you're treating, but you're also preventing free radical damage. So it's a two-way street, and some of these ingredients do the same thing, they're both like helpful when you react, and meaning that you're treating the lesion after it's happened, or protective, you're preventing it from getting worse. So it's a balance and you're exfoliating, you're doing the same thing. Exfoliation is kind of on the uh um on the reactive side in in a certain way because you're actively getting rid of that dead skin, um, you're actively treating that hyperpigmentation. Right. And then it gets to the point where you can be more conservative when you don't have anything going on when you're using the exfoliant and making sure that you're not overdoing it, especially if you don't have any issues. It's still good to exfoliate to brighten skin tone to get rid of dullness, but there's always that balance of being protective or being reactionary in your treatment of hyperpigmentation.
Hyperpigmentation vs. Scarring: Are They the Same?
SPEAKER_04Okay. So I've seen a lot online that is saying hyperpigmentation and scarring are interchangeable. Are they the same?
SPEAKER_03Oh my goodness, that's actually one of my pet peefs. I have a lot of patients that come in and they're like, um, my acne is causing scarring, and it's really hyperpigmentation or discoloration and not scarring. So um the difference is scarring has more to do with texture and uh hyperpigmentation has more to do with tone. So there's a big difference there because how we approach treatment can sometimes differ, right? Right. In terms of if you have scarring, we want um to use ingredients or do procedures that cause remodeling and improvement of skin texture versus we're dealing more with uh pigment regulation when it comes to hyperpigmentation or discoloration. So think texture for scarring and think tone or colour for hyperpigmentation. Gotcha.
SPEAKER_04Okay, thank you for clarifying.
Dr. Kikam's Personal Skin Journey with Acne & Scarring
SPEAKER_04Thank you. Awesome. So you mentioned how like you yourself have dealt with acne and dealt with scarring. What was your how did you treat your skin to help with scarring?
SPEAKER_03So um in terms of scarring, um I have like what they call like um ice pick scars, almost like somebody took like a toothpick and kind of went like this, like little dots. Yeah. Um, it's not really visible. No. But um with those using um ingredients like retinoids really helps um with texture boosting collagen to help like fill in um those scars or just like help with you know um smoothing skin. Right. Um and then microneedling is like really, really, really great procedure to for scarring in melanin-rich skin and just about you know, all skin, regardless of whether it's melanin-rich on the lighter skin types, but it stimulates collagen production, so it helps with texture and also helps um with hyperpigmentation.
SPEAKER_04Okay, awesome.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. But I dealt more with hyperpigmentation more than scarring. Gotcha. In my my journey with acne.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
Laser Treatments & What to Know Before Getting Them
SPEAKER_04So I you mentioned a different procedure. I do want to get into procedures. The first one I wanted to ask you about was I heard that you mentioned laser hair removal doesn't work on gray or red hair. Can you break down why that's the case?
SPEAKER_03So the whole way um lasers work is lasers work by targeting melanin in the hair shaft. It's what allows um the laser energy to be able to identify, like, you know, and destroy the hair. Because once you the laser targets the melanin, um, that energy gets turned turned into heat. And then heat is what destroys a hair follicle. Okay. Um, in um melanin-rich skin, you have more pigment for the laser to target, right? Right. Um, but with the lighter um skin tones or like gray, white, um hair, red hair, there's less melanin in that um hair shaft. So then it's not as, you know, specific in getting to that hair and causing the same damage. So in those cases, um other forms of hair removal um become really important. Wow. That's so interesting. I've never heard that. That's really cool. I tell people like if you want to get laser hair removal, you have to get it before you gray. Yes. If not, it really becomes difficult.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so funny. Okay,
Are Actives Like Retinol & Vitamin C Safe for Melanin Rich Skin?
SPEAKER_04well, thank you for sharing. Good to know. Um, yeah, so on the topic of treatment and ingredients, I wanted to ask you when it comes to actives, because you did mention retinol and different exfoliating acids, vitamin C's, are these all safe to use on melanin-rich skin?
SPEAKER_03So again, melanin-rich skin is not um a monolith, right? There's several factors that are going to go. There's some people that may be on the sensitive skin side, there's some people that may be on like the acne side, so many other factors to take into consideration where some um exfoliants may be more appropriate than others. Okay. But in general, um, again, you want to use exfoliative ingredients like your alpha and better hydroxy acid. Now, if you happen to be on like the oily skin side, maybe a better hydroxy acid with salicylic acid is way better because um that absorbs oil. It's like more oil absorbing. And it would really, in the case of like acne, it really goes down into the pores and really dissolve that oil and dirt and exfoliate skin in that way. So it's like a great exfoliant to use if you have like acne-prone skin. Now, um, some antioxidants like vitamin C, which I love so much, but some people find that irritating. Then you have to look for other forms of you know, antioxidants to use. I like niacinamide because it's a very calm one. Vitamin E is a very, very nice one too, gentle one to use. But those are considerations, you know, when it comes to treating um hyperpigmentation. And then um I also we can't have this conversation um without talking about sunscreen like SPF. And then what type of sunscreen? Right. Are we gonna do chemical? Are we going to do a mineral? Is it gonna be tinted or non-tinted? But when it comes to melanin-rich skin, I particularly like tinted um mineral sunscreen because um there's some research that shows that uh the iron oxide in tinted sunscreen is really helpful when it comes to hyperpigmentation um by decreasing um the effects of blue light on the skin, which tends to lead to um it tends to lead to um how can I say prolonging what call erythema or redness on lighter skin tones and then also prolonging hyperpigmentation on darker skin tones. So when it comes to treating conditions like melasma, which is a very common condition in skin of color, melanin-rich skin, I especially love tinted um mineral sunscreens for that. Awesome. Do you have a favorite tinted mineral sunscreen? Yeah, like I love um LTA MD's line of tinted mineral sunscreens. I also love um this um skincare brand called Audacity.
SPEAKER_04Ooh, okay.
SPEAKER_03I hope I'm saying it correctly, but I love your sunscreen. And then um I also like a couple from La Roche Purse, and then oh my goodness, Beauty of Josen. I hope I'm pronouncing that right. They have like one of the best tinted mineral sunscreens I've used in a long time. It's super lightweight, goes on very well, and then the great thing about it is they have multiple shades um of the darker skin tone range or darker range of um their SPF, their tinted SPF, which is great when it comes to having just that variety that patients and folks can pick from. So yeah, Audacity, LT MD, La Roche Posay, um, and Beauty of Joseph right now, holding it down for me.
SPEAKER_04Love those great options. Yeah. So when it comes to active ingredients, you would say like it's not more so about the melanin levels in your skin. It's more so just about your skin type based on what you should use.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, those factors, and then also using tried and true um um agents, right? Like your tyrosinase inhibitors, those like to regulate excessive um uh melanin production. Very, very important. But non-negotiables to me are sunscreen, those tyrosinase inhibitors, um, your antioxidants, and uh what else did we talk about? Four things SPF, antioxidants, gentle exfoliation, and uh moisturizing. That's a big part to me for treatment of hyperpigmentation because some of these ingredients can be really moisture stripping.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So having that gentle care is quite important.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
What to Consider Before Getting Chemical Peels or Lasers
SPEAKER_04Okay, awesome. So now more on the treatment and procedures side. Is there anything people with melanin-rich skin should consider before getting procedures like chemical peels or laser treatments?
SPEAKER_03Definitely, because um, like we've just talked about, melanin-rich skin is prone to that hyperpigmentation, right? Uh when it comes to inflammation and the high reactivity of the melanocytes, it's important for us to be very careful in how we treat it. And it's it's also prone to scarring. So we can't do things that are too abrasive. It's like a delicate balance. You want to target what you need to target or accomplish what you need to accomplish on the skin without causing further damage. And so people really need to be aware of that. So When it comes to procedures like chemical pills, I like superficial to medium death chemical pills. Um, I am a big fan of like salicylic acid um chemical pills for acne, especially me. Um, as someone that deals with body acne, I usually get exfoliation on my chest. So I like that. But when we go to like deep um chemical pills, those ones can really get down there and damage or cause more pigmentary issues. So when you have melanin-rich skin, you really have to be careful that you're not going and using um very, very hash chemical pills that can really cause more harm than good.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_03Same thing with lasers, right? Um, like I said, the laser targets pigment, but if you're doing it laser hair removal, you want to be able to target the pigment in the hair follicle, not the one on the surface of the skin. So there's also that delicate dance of choosing the right laser because you pick the wrong laser, it can again cause more damage. And I've seen those videos on TikTok, it's not a good look. So when it comes to melanin-rich skin, the NDAC is one of my favorite, and it's like really the gold standard in terms of treating melanin-rich skin. So you want to ask whoever is going to do your laser hair removal, is this an NDAC? And if it's not an NDAC, why isn't it an NDAC? Because that's like the safest for melanin-rich skin, right? And then um you have things like the um things that you should take into consideration, like the expertise of whoever is performing the procedure. Sometimes it's really not the the laser itself, but who um the the hand in which the laser is, right? Um, what they know of melanin-rich skin, can they provide appropriate aftercare? If something goes wrong, can they be trusted to treat you appropriately or cancel you appropriately? So several things you really have to take into consideration. And then there's microneedling, which is great and safe. Um, and sometimes you could do it with PRP, you could do it with other like nice topical um skincare ingredients so it absorbs better. But again, you have to make sure you're using the right things, and the person that's performing the procedure is um knowledgeable enough to do it very well. Right. And but yeah, those are those are like my thoughts.
What Is Micro Needling and What Does It Do for the Skin?
SPEAKER_04Yeah. So about microneedling, since I know you said that it was it's great for melanin-rich skin, can you go into a little bit about microneedling and what it does for the skin?
SPEAKER_03So microneedling is a procedure where we use tiny needles, and I'm assuming in office because I see that people can buy their derma rollers on Amazon. But I'm talking about when you come to a dermatologist's office and we use um this procedure, basically, this tiny needles that form microchannels. Basically, it's called controlled wound healing. Like we induce the wound on the skin, but it's not like somebody's like taking a knife and whacking you, right? But we're doing it in a kind in a way that makes sense, right? We're injuring the skin and forcing the skin to heal itself, and in the process of healing itself, it deposits collagen, elastin, all these wonderful um things that go on to really help improve skin texture, improve um the look of and appearance of scars, um, fine lines, wrinkles, because we have that new collagen coming into the skin, new elastin, all these building blocks of all these things that form the matrix of skin. And that can be really, really helpful in terms of skin rejuvenation. Awesome. Okay, cool. I've never had microneedling, so that sounds great. So you'd say it's best for scarring. Yeah, it's really great for like skin texture, improving skin texture, and that includes scarring. It look includes fine lines and wrinkles as well.
SPEAKER_04Great, awesome. Okay.
Dermatologist-Approved Skincare Routine for Melanin Rich Skin
SPEAKER_04So another question I had if someone's just starting out with skincare, what's a basic dermatologist-approved routine that you'd recommend for melanin-rich skin?
SPEAKER_03So um again, since this is not a one-size-fits-all, I go back to those principles. That will be true of every skin, including melanin-rich skin. I would say having a gentle cleanser, very important in terms of cleansing skin of oil and ex and dirt. That's one thing you want to make sure you have in your routine and making sure that it's um it's you don't clean until your skin feels squeaky clean because a lot of people feel like it needs to be tight or the cleanser needs to be really hash, like after they finish cleansing. When your skin is tight, that means the skin is really, you know, really clean. But that's very misleading because that just means your skin barrier is damaged. It's not good. So we're on a we want to make sure we're picking a gentle cleanser that is appropriate for a skin type. Is it oily skin? Is it dry skin combination, sensitive skin in terms of picking that cleanser? And it's this applies to melanin-rich skin. And then we also want to make sure we're using um an exfoliant. Now, I wouldn't say I I don't recommend people get you know excessive with their chemical exfoliation, but exfoliation is really great in terms of promoting skin turnover and then having that those newer skin cells. It helps to brighten skin, take care of like dullness, but also helps with fading that excess melanin that we have sometimes in hyperpigmentation, right? And then um we also want to add an antioxidant. Now, I prefer antioxidants in from around you know, starting your 20s, mid-20s. I'm not saying like, hey, if you're like 13, run and go get a vitamin C serum. Your priority should really be um sunscreen more than anything. Right. But I love antioxidants in the basic skincare routine. Um, and you can find moisturizers that already include some of these things. And then SPF, very important. Everybody should have aware sunscreen, and then a good moisturizer that is, you know, has ingredients like your ceramites, your hyaluronic acid that you apply to your skin to keep it, you know, replenish your skin barrier. So important. So those are some of like the key things gentle exfoliation, SPF antioxidant, antioxidants, and a good rich moisturizer.
Chemical vs. Physical Exfoliation: Which Is Better?
SPEAKER_04Okay. So I have a couple questions. So for exfoliating, do you have like a personal preference for like a chemical exfoliant versus a physical exfoliant? I do. I am quite biased.
SPEAKER_03Like I love chemical exfoliants because you can control the exfoliation in a way. I feel um, I think people do it, overdo it with physical exfoliation. I think physical exfoliation can be too abrasive and it's going to be mostly superficial. Um, because you know, you can only go so far in your skin if you're using the physical exfoliation. Chemical exfoliations are great because they're gonna break up those skin cells. Right. And um, but on the flip side, you have to be careful with chemical exfoliation because I see this all the time on TikTok. People overdo it with high concentrations of glycolic acid that you know you over-exfoliate, and you know, it really, really can strip skin of moisture, dry skin, and you know, it can be as abrasive as a physical exfoliant. But I like um I like chemical exfoliation because it's just about picking the type and concentration, you have better control over that versus you know, trying to control the excessive amount of force sometimes or the particles that you have sometimes in your um physical exfoliants, microcuts to the skin and all that. Uh and I know if you prefer physical exfoliants, that's fine. But I like chemical exfoliation. If you have sensitive, yeah. If you have sensitive skin, I would say for chemical exfoliation, you can go with an enzyme-based exfoliant or a fruit, a fruit enzyme like papaya. If you have like sensitive skin too, you can also go with like mandelic acid, which you know has a large molecular size and it's not going to over-irritate skin. Right. And then if you have like oil-prune skin, then you have the salicylic acid because it's oil soluble, it's really gonna get down into the pores. I just like the variety that you have to play with when you have chemical exfoliants. That's why I'm like really biased towards it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I think I have a cherry enzyme one and a pumpkin enzyme one. So when you said, because I have sensitive skin. Yes. So when you said like using some type of fruit enzyme, I was like, I'm glad I'm doing something right.
SPEAKER_03I I love my chemical exfoliation. They're fun. Yeah, especially I like my favorite enzyme exfoliant is like papaya. Don't ask me why. I just love it.
SPEAKER_04Sounds really nice. Yes.
What Inspired Dr. Kikam to Advocate for Skin of Color
SPEAKER_04Yeah. So on the topic of just you and some of your favorite things, I just want to go into your story and your mission. What inspired you to go into dermatology and specifically advocate for skin of color?
SPEAKER_03My, you know, passion for dermatology like goes way back to when I was a kid. But then I didn't know I was gonna be dermatology. Yeah. But as a kid, I was like the kind of nosy kid, the person that would stare, not to be judgy, but to understand what is going on. Like if I saw that, you know, there was something unique about somebody's skin, I always wondered, like, okay, why does that person have that? Um and it's not in only in skin and just in terms of anything medical. Like I was really drawn to the medical field right from when I was a kid. I always wanted to know what was going on, how to fix it, you know, or read about things that I would see. And with medical school, being exposed to different specialties, I started to realize that I liked the visual diagnosis aspect, you know, the visual investigation of like just being able to stand and look into the reception room and know why somebody is probably there to see me and what I would do before they even opened your mouth. Because I'm like, okay, I can see that person is here, they have rosacea acne. Like, you know, the visual element had always been just exciting to me once I got to uh medical school and I was looking through all the specialties that was a very key thing to me. I'm somebody that I get bored easily, I need to be doing something active. And dermatology was that specialty where there was lots of variety, you know, you could do surgery and just have that, you know, that aspect of you know, the surgical um specialty. And then I like the fact that I could deal or treat from pediatrics to like seniors, and the conversations would be different. Like one point you're having like very kiddie conversations with, you know, trying to relate to them, and then you're talking to seniors, and it's a different type of conversation. So I like the variety in my day and just making a visible change in you know people's physical appearance and how it made them feel about themselves was really important and very gratifying to me. So all aspects of dermatology, cosmetics, surgery, medical dermatology, and one of my latest passions, I was gonna say latest, but something I'm really passionate about, also like hair loss. All this aspects of the specialty specialty made it super interesting to me. And I wouldn't be doing any or I couldn't see myself in any other specialty than dermatology. Now, he asked about the um, you know, the advocacy part. So going through medical training, you start seeing that there's an underrepresentation of, you know, um skin of color, and uh you're you're seeing how it's really impacting communities of color in terms of delaying diagnosis because some dermatologic conditions appear differently when you have to take into consideration skin hues. So uh the the lack of nuance in training of making sure people are able to see these differences and still be able to diagnose, um that was a gap that I saw that we needed to really address because um it impacts, you know, diagnosis, it causes delay or misdiagnosis, then delay of intervention or sometimes a lack of appropriate treatment, which could lead to worse outcomes.
Skin Cancer in Melanin Rich Skin: What You Should Know
SPEAKER_03I tell people the that baseline melanin that we've been talking about gives that, you know, baseline, sorry, that um having melanin giving that baseline UV protection is great. And one of the great things about it is that it makes melanin skin less um less at risk for sun-induced skin cancers, right? But another issue is that when melanin skin develops skin cancer, it's usually diagnosed when it's more advanced and oftentimes when it's more aggressive. So you know, being able to readily diagnose and spot skin cancers in skin of color to me is really important. And it starts with education, and that's why I started Brown Skin Derm because I really wanted to empower, inform, um, and educate people about your skin health and to be able to um understand its nuances. Right.
SPEAKER_04Wow, that's amazing.
SPEAKER_03Thank you.
SPEAKER_04So you said melanin-rich skin has a less chance of developing skin cancer. Wow. Yes. I guess yeah, that makes sense with everything you've been saying. But yeah, that's really awesome.
SPEAKER_03And so they're less at risk of um developing skin, sun-induced skin cancers, but they do get other types of cancers. And when they tend to get uh these other types of cancers, it's more likely to appear in non-sun exposed areas of the body, right? And uh it's very important then that you know if you have melanin-rich skin, at least once a year you're going into the dermatology, uh, you're going to see the dermatologist to get a full physical exam, full skin exam of your body to identify changing moles, to identify new lesions, anything you're unsure of, because that's one of the best ways to, you know, catch those skin cancers when they happen on melanin-rich skin. Now, sun protection is very important. And when people ask me, like tell me, like, oh, I don't wear sunscreen because you know I'm not gonna get skin cancer, it's like, yeah, I get that part, but you know, you're it's not you know, your melanin is not going to protect you from fully. Yeah, fully. You still are prone to that hyperpigmentation, which is one of the biggest concerns in melanin-rich skin or aesthetic concerns, right? And can really impact people's um life, quality of life. Right. I know for myself, like when I used to get post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from my acne, I wouldn't want to take pictures, I wouldn't want to speak up in class because I didn't want anybody to look at my face. Because when you speak, the people's, you know, innate response is to look, right? And I'm like, I don't want somebody to see me with all this like huge acne or hyperpigmentation. So you shut down, you don't like taking pictures, and you don't like doing so many things because you just want to hide. So um, I I that's why I think sun protection is really important. That education that I didn't have until much later in my life. I started wearing sunscreen pretty, pretty. I won't say it's late. It's never too late to start doing the right thing. But if I had known, I would have, you know, dealing with um hyperpigmentation as a young person. If I had known sunscreen was that important and you know, I needed to wear it regularly, I would have, right? Right. So I just want to educate people, um, especially young folks that are dealing with hyperpigmentation, to know that this is one of the things that is available to them amongst the other things we talked about, whether it's retinoids, vitamin C, for antioxidants or those tyrosinase inhibitors, you can do all that, but without sunscreen, it's like it doesn't matter.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. So I think one thing that we definitely took today that's super important is just sunscreen for everyone, every skin type. Like wear your sunscreen. Wear your sunscreen.
Dr. Kikam's Personal Skin Struggles
SPEAKER_04Um well, thank you for sharing that. You did speak a bit about your personal journey just now. Um, I'd love to just hear a little bit more about that and your own skin struggles that you went through.
SPEAKER_03So, like I mentioned, I my biggest skin struggle was acne. For some people, it's like eczema. Mine was like acne. And I'll actually like pray. I'll be like, please, I'll behave better and just take this acne. So that and I dealt, I still deal with it as an adult. I I have adult acne, and sometimes I'm talking with friends that have never had anything, and they like call me, like, gosh, I'm breaking out. I'm just like, well, great, like you've had all these years without anything. Welcome to the club. Yeah. But yeah, acne has always been that main thing for me, and I still get adult acne. Um, and that really influenced also my interest in dermatology because going through that um made me really, really like attentive to people with other skin struggles. Right. Um, I really empathize with them a lot. You know, the thing about acne is that it's such a visual condition, but I think it's even worse dealing with skin conditions that are not so visual, like hydrogenitis superativa, where you get inflamed balls in like areas like your underarms or your groin, areas that people may not readily see, and it's hard talking about or um from an empathy perspective is hard sometimes for people to relate. Right. So all the spectrum of like skin conditions that really make us uncomfortable in our own body. And so that's one of my goals, even with starting my own dermatology practice, is creating a space where people feel seen.
SPEAKER_04I love that. That's special. I wanted to ask
Inclusive Dermatology: Dr. Kikam's New Practice
SPEAKER_04you next about your new dermatology practice. You're starting your own medical clinic, skin inclusive dermatology. Tell us more.
SPEAKER_03I mean, it's always been my dream, and the name actually like captivates what I really want and the intention of it, skin inclusive.
SPEAKER_04I love that.
SPEAKER_03I wanted it to be a place that's inclusive of every skin tone, every skin type, and every person, you know, to to receive competent care. Uh, very um, you know, personalized care that is really attentive to your needs, whether it's medical, cosmetic, or hell or whatever type of condition that you're coming walking through those doors. I just want to give you like the best possible care, and uh um that is transformative and empowering. I love that. Yeah. It's going to be in Houston, Texas. Amazing. And um, oh my god, there's I'm in the process of like the design and trying to create the experience for my patients. And the beautiful thing about it is uh as a doctor that's really passionate about hair loss and knowing what the hair salon means to women, especially um women of color, I'm going to have like this beautiful salon inside the clinic. Oh, that's awesome! Yeah, and I just want folks that are going through hair loss to receive that 360 care that you can get your hair groomed in, you know, in this clinic and still also get your medical condition managed, whether you're dealing with psoriasis or other types of hair loss, and not feel so self-conscious because going somewhere else and having somebody look at your scalp and not being comfortable touching or dealing with certain things, you can be in a safe space where you can get that grooming, but you can also get that medical intervention down the hallway.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. I also feel like when it comes to hair loss, like a lot of people don't know where to turn or what they're supposed to do. So it's really cool that you kind of are gonna have this. Bridge that gap, yeah. And it's like a one-stop shop. You can get your skin fixed up, you can get your hair fixed up. Like I love it. Exactly. Such a great idea. Yes. And I feel like you're so passionate about it. Thanks.
SPEAKER_03And I'm not gonna take credit for it because I've had some amazing mentors that actually inspired this. One of them, Dr. Echiama Oseitutu, who is like it's just my big sister mentor. I've seen her do it, and I've just I've been a patient of hers too, and had my hair taken care of in her clinic, and also had my hair treated by her, and it was just such a beautiful experience. Right. Just to leave like her office, her cheer, and then go into the stylist cheer after getting my treatment, and then walking out there looking bum and just feeling okay, I just saw my doctor, I just got my hair done and all in one, you know. You just feel good after. I feel so good, yeah. So I wanted to in you know, building this clinic to give patients the same experience. Wow, I love that.
SPEAKER_04Well, we wish you the best of luck. That's
What's on Dr. Kikam's Derm Vanity
SPEAKER_04awesome. I can't wait to you know see the final product. Yes, yes, so exciting. So we want the tea. You're a dermatologist. We need to know what products can we expect to find on your derm vanity and why. Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_03Because I do a lot of social media and I'm constantly like recommending products. I'm my derm vanity is just this space where there's always stuff going on. But lately I've been. Enjoying pitch the pitch and lily um exosome ampool. Okay. Man, if you need like a brightener, like an ampule just leaves your skin feeling soft and the glow. Okay, I love it. Yeah, you have to try it. I love how it feels on skin. And then um, I've been using in terms of cleanser, I really love the acetophil um salicylic acid cleanser with mandelic acid and polyhydroxic acid. It's such a like a nice blend of gentle exfoliance, but it also has a salicylic acid for my acne-prone skin and then a polyhydroxic acid, so really hydrating. So, one of my favorite cleansers to use, especially going into the fall, you want to go with a gentle cleanser that is not too moisture stripping, but you know, still exfoliating to the skin. So that's that cytofuel one is really, really nice. And then I've probably gone through four to five moisturizers of the Aveano. It's called eczema therapy, night therapy, each relief balm. Oh wow. Oh my goodness. Amazing. I am addicted. I don't have eczema, but I'm sorry, I have to share the moisturizer with my eczema folks. Just let me have some of your stuff because it is super, super moisturizing. I like it, you not. So going into like, you know, fall, winter, that is one of my favorite body moisturizers right now that I highly recommend. I I would can actually show you like those five bottles. I've been stacking them up just to see how many I run through by the end of the year, but I love it. And then sunscreen, I already mentioned Beauty of Josian, their day du sunscreen, very hydrating. It's a must for fall and winter because of just how hydrating it is on skin. Love that. Yeah, so we we that's a plug. Check it out, it's at Sephora, and then and then if you're on the mineral side, they also have that tinted one that I mentioned. Great. And then I like the skin pseudocals PTox. It comes with like peptides, which is really great in like you know, boosting collagen and just helping with skin texture. Love it, love it, love it. And then um, I could talk forever, but oh in lip care, like the lip care category is like a category. Big category, like it just exploded out of nowhere, right? And everybody has like a lip product, or like 10. Yes, but like the lip products that I've found myself really using is Sunzi by Pamela Anderson. Ooh, I know, right. It you know, when I got her PR box, one thing that was unique about it is just like I'm not used to seeing like middle-age or older age, you know, models on on PRs, always like younger folks. So I really love Sunzi for just like I hope I'm saying it, pronouncing the the name correctly. But they have like a lip product, like a peptide-based lip product that's really good. Yeah, and then Edem is uh a black-founded brand that really makes great skincare for skin of color or melanin-rich skin in terms of the ingredients and formulation of your products. They have like an ingrown um hair kind of like a stick that you could use to prevent like ingrown hair. And then they also have a lip product, it's called like shhuchu. I can't remember, but it's the bum. It has alpha hydroxy acids, yeah. So it's going to exfoliate your lips while also like hydrating it. It's just like the perfect combination. Um, if you want that nice, you know, a product that will give you that hydration, but also if you make up linen, it gives you that because they have like lovely colors. Yeah. So I I've been using a lot of their products quite frequently. And you have to stop me because I could go on and on. But we want all the tea, you can keep going whenever you're whenever you're done. Okay. Um, what's the which other one? I and then for my body, also, because I get those breakouts, like I tell you. We've talked about the Aveo moisturizer that I really love. But if you are prone to hyperpigmentation on your body or just body blemishes, then Remedy has one of the best moisturizers you can do, use. It's the remedy for bumps or body bumps. I maybe I may get some of these names wrong, but just get the clues you need to Google the names. But it's amazing. It has retinol in it, and then it has like alpha and beta hydroxy acids in it, it's exfoliative, and that's one of the reasons why I really, really love it. Love that. And it's great for like really dry prone areas. It says bumps, but you know, it'll work for like hyperpigmentation. Right. You don't necessarily have to have a bump, it's just wonderful.
SPEAKER_05Okay.
SPEAKER_03And then topicals is another great one that I love, love. I love their it's called the high roller tube for ingrown hairs. I know a lot of you guys out there prone to ingrown hair. So that's really a good one.
SPEAKER_04Okay. I need to like check out all these ingrown hair products. Because I feel like there wasn't anything like I didn't know where to look for that, but I feel like a lot of companies are coming out with like yes.
SPEAKER_03Even Kiehl's has one that I really like. It's got like intimate drops. Okay. Yeah. So after shaving down there, it's a good one to use. If you can feel like an ingrown hair come in, that's another good one. Along with the one from Edom. I think the Edom one is something clean slate or something slate. Yeah. Don't get me just check out Edom's ingrown hair. You're gonna know what I'm talking about. It's gonna come up.
SPEAKER_04Amazing.
Black Owned Brands for Melanin Rich Skin
SPEAKER_04So what I know you mentioned a couple or one, but what black-owned brands or brands in general are on your radar when it comes to catering to melanin rich skin?
SPEAKER_03So right now, I think it's hype skin. Is it hyper? Hype skin. Either way, that's one that's on my radar. They make really amazing products. Awesome. And then um I, of course, topicals and edom, hyperskin, hyperskin. They make really amazing products, and then you have topicals too, and then you have the EDEM that I just mentioned is wonderful. I like um Briojo for hair. I also like Camelos. I use a lot of their products. And then um I just like, you know, there's so many that have come up in the past couple of years that are really doing amazing in this space when it comes to skincare and also hair care. Yeah. Awesome.
Lightning Round: Love It, Leave It or Be Cautious
SPEAKER_04Okay, great. So before we finish, I want to do a little lightning round with you. I am going to throw out some popular pot products that people use for hyperpigmentation, and you can just give us a quick verdict of love it, leave it, or be cautious. Okay. Okay. You ready? Mm-hmm. So this first one's a good one. And I actually just bought it, so I'm very curious. The Codaly Vino Perfect Serum.
SPEAKER_03So I love I love the Coddaly Vino Perfect Serum. I think the active ingredient is from like grapevine or something like that. Something like that. Yeah, it's very gentle. Yes. So the active ingredient is from grapevine vinephrine, if I'm not mistaken, but it's really amazing, especially on sensitive skin. And um one I was in Paris earlier this year, and uh they have uh an SPF lip balm called Vino Sun something. Yeah, it's an SPF 50, it's amazing.
SPEAKER_02Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I I made sure I brought it back with me. So Codeli, please launch it in the US. Thank you.
SPEAKER_04Seriously, I was just in Paris too, and I stocked up on everything they don't have.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and I love their mask too. They have like this mask, I can't remember the name of guys, but it it went viral on TikTok and I tried it. It's really legit. Sometimes I just put it on and I go about like, you know, I'm a mask girly. If I'm not doing that, I am like I love mask from Deuty of Josian. I'm just out and about doing my thing on, especially on a Saturday morning, I would just have it on. But it's a lovely exfoliative mask. So yeah, cuddly. Love cuddly.
SPEAKER_04Okay, so we're gonna love it. That one perfect. Okay, the next one is La Roche Posey Mella B3 serum.
SPEAKER_03I love the La Roche Posey Mela B serum. Lots of research. It's quite legit. Okay. Uh if you have mild to moderate hyperpigmentation, the ingredient combination is really wonderful in that um serum. So yeah, I love it. Cool.
SPEAKER_04Next is the Skin Suiticals Discoloration Defense Serum. Love, love, love.
SPEAKER_03I'm sorry that I'm loving everything. I don't want to love everything, but honestly, the discoloration defense is wonderful. I think it has like, is it cogic acid? And it's just it has lots of good tyrosinase inhibitors. And one thing I remember about that serum is that it's very hydrating to skin. Yeah, it has all these nice ingredients that really work to um address hyperpigmentation without, or I should I say discoloration, yeah, without you know drying the skin or just being too aggressive on skin, which is what you want to look for in a serum, especially on melanin-rich skin, to avoid over irritation.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Awesome.
SPEAKER_04Okay. Next one's gonna be the ordinary glycolic acid.
SPEAKER_03Okay, I love it, but be cautious. Why? Yeah, because I've seen people use it um in a not so great ways and it's caused irritation. Then I've seen it done amazing things, right? So it's all this like delicate balance. I personally use it quite a lot, actually. I use it on my scalp because it's a great exfoliant. And what I'll do is, especially when I have braids, I would apply it, leave it on for like three to five minutes, and then rinse it off in the shower. Oh wow. And it's really, really wonderful. And you can use it on areas like your elbows, you can use it for like very dry feet. Okay. It's and what I call an all-around skincare product because it just has so many uses. Um, you can use it on the underarms cautiously again, because it can you can actually cause irritation and burning. And if you um overdo it, you can actually like just destabilize a microbiome. So there's so many, you know, pros and cons. It really comes down to how the person is using it, right? So you have to really know your skin if you're on the sensitive side. Maybe go for something with a lower concentration instead of a higher concentration, but love it, but use cautiously. Yeah. Wait, I have to ask, do you pull skincare up to your scalp sometimes? Yeah, skincare for scalp, it's it's another big expanding category that I think is wonderful because scalp is skin. Yeah, it is. Right? So it's an extension of your skin. Yes, it is. And uh it needs um the same love and attention. And so yeah, I'm loving that it's expanding and people are caring more about you know it. As a matter of fact, I was in Cincinnati at the PNG headquarters and just seeing the amazing work they're doing in terms of like RD of um Scout products. They actually have like a salon or you know, or testing area where they have like they bring in um the estheticians and all these folks, the hairstylists to actually test the products, the wash process, the formulation and science behind your hair shampoos, especially like the head and shoulders, yeah, and the others' cap serums and things that they're working on is just amazing. Oh, that's awesome. I don't know why I've never thought to do that.
SPEAKER_02Really? Yeah, I'm gonna totally do that now.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Okay. Next one is uh Keel's Ingrown Hair and Tone Correcting Intimate Drops. Love it, love it, love it.
SPEAKER_03Is that the one you just mentioned? Yes, it's gentle, it's super lightweight, and um, I just really like it.
SPEAKER_04Awesome. Okay, the next one is the Inky List tranhexamic acid serum.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I love tranxamic acid, the one from the Inky Lase. I like it because it's like a good ingredient when it comes to hyperpigmentation in skin. Gotcha. Yeah, in general, I really like the Inculus, it's very accessible, affordable skincare line.
SPEAKER_04Cool. And then the last one is good molecules discoloration correcting serum. Love it.
SPEAKER_03Yes, it has a blend of ingredients versus like you know, the trinexemic acid that is a single ingredient product by the Inculius. I love good molecules because it combines more ingredients, and sometimes that's what you need to really target um discoloration from different angles, whether you're fading it, exfoliating it, stuff like that.
SPEAKER_04So I really like it. Okay, okay, Dr. Keekum, we need one that you want us to leave it. Do you have one on the top of your head? Um you loved all of that, but beef tallow? Okay, yeah. I figured that would that would come up.
SPEAKER_03No, yeah, let's not do that. And then let me see. What else do I not like people using? I'm not a big fan. Yeah, I'm not a big fan of cogic acid soaps. Cogic acid is a nice ingredient, but I find them very um moisture stripping and damaging to skin barrier. I actually, because you know, a lot of my followers uh some were really liking it, and then some were sending me images where like their skin was just super messed up. So I actually got a couple from TikTok and Amazon, and then I did a pH test on them. I haven't like I haven't shown this, I haven't done a reel on it yet or done content showing my results, but I was just curious about the pH, and man, it was the pH was really, really high, and that tends to be abrasive on skin, very moisture stripping, and it just made sense why a lot of them were feeling like their barrier was damaged or just you know, skin was peeling after use. So that's not me, but if it works for you, I don't want anybody to come for me. If it works for you, um, hey, skincare is not a democracy, that's what's what I say. Right. So if it works for you, okay, good for you. But I'm not a big fan.
SPEAKER_04I feel like with acids in general, just like do your research, be cautious. Like, don't use anything that might be harmful for your skin. Exactly. Yeah. Okay,
One Thing the Beauty Industry Needs to Change
SPEAKER_04awesome. So I have one more closing question for you before we go. Um, if you could change one thing about how the beauty industry approaches skin of color, what would it be?
SPEAKER_03Uh, so multiple things, not one. But I would just say including diverse skin tones in terms of research of your products or in the RD process. Right. Uh so that you can confidently say something works for you. And um being very, not actually, I was gonna say being very transparent, but I also say not being misleading. Right. And I say that because sometimes we see this trend where it comes to mineral sunscreens, where brand is like, you know, um great for all skin tones, so no white cast. Right. I think it can be a little bit deceptive or not a little bit as deceptive if in fact it doesn't do what it says. I I think it's fair to be very honest with the public and tell them that you know, some white cast is to be expected because it's a mineral sunscreen. Right. And we know that it does leave white casts, but we want to see an effort to, you know, uh make it as cosmetically appealing as possible. Yes, it doesn't need to be a one size fits all, right? It would be nice to have more shades of tinted um mineral sunscreens to accommodate more people wearing it, but I think it can be really disappointing when you buy something that says, you know, it's not gonna leave a white cast, and it does. And then we start seeing all these videos on social media where people were like calling brands out. Yeah. So we're eventually going to try it, or the public is eventually going to try it. So it's not something you can hide. Right. So I would say in that sense, I want inclusive testing of products, making sure that it's gonna be suitable for a lot of people, but also making sure that in messaging is not misleading, that marketing is very honest. Yeah. Yeah, I love that.
SPEAKER_04Very true, and all important things. Yes. Yeah. Well, awesome. Thank you so much for being here and just sharing your knowledge about melanin rich skin and sharing your personal story about how you became who you are now and your journey. And yeah, I just really appreciate it. Yeah, thank you. Of course. And if you want to share with viewers, you know, where they can find you on social
Where to Find Dr. Kikam
SPEAKER_04media, where they can find your new dermatology office, feel free. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So again, I'm Dr. Adeline Kikam. I'm a reward-cent dermatologist. You can find me on social media on the handle Brown Skin Derm. And this is across all my social media platforms, whether TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and uh the name of my clinic is Conclusive Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery in Houston, Texas. Um, right now we're only doing Telederm in about like 15 states, but I'm hoping that by summer of next year, our doors are going to be opening. And uh so make sure you follow on social media so you can learn more.
SPEAKER_04So exciting. Yes. I can't wait to just follow your journey and see everything you do. Thank you. Best of luck. Thank you. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me. Thank of course. Yeah, it's been great. Great. So this has been Face It where we get real about what works and what doesn't