Cosmetic procedures have traditionally been unpopular among African-Americans, but there are recent signs of this stigma declining, according to a recent article on ABC News. More black women are pursuing cosmetic procedures against the beliefs widely held among their communities.
Black Women Speak Out
“There’s a pressure from the community that, you know, ‘African-American women don’t need to have beauty enhancements.’”– Phyllis Jackson, who received a Botox injection at a Beverly Hills dinner party.
“I think African-American women are still in the closet about having plastic surgery…[but] I think we’re doing it a lot more.”– Linda Caradine-Poinsett, 50, who received body contouring surgeries to increase the size of her breasts and reduce her waistline.
“I’ve wanted my backside larger all my life… One day I just woke up and everybody was talking about butt, butt, butt. They’d had this surgery and that surgery… The first question I asked [my plastic surgeon] was, How big can you make my butt?”– This woman wished not to be identified.
The Advantages of Dark Skin
The natural advantages of black skin are another reason why many blacks have declined to pursue cosmetic procedures. “Darker skin has natural protective factors against sun,” Chicago plastic surgeon Dr. Julius Few told ABC. “So we don’t see the same wrinkling, because sun exposure typically will cause weathering or cracking or folding of the skin.” As well, Few said, black skin has more oil and thus tends to be more resilient against wrinkling:“A lot of people think oil in the skin is bad. The reality is oil in your skin is good. It’s kind of like folding a piece of paper. The more you fold the piece of paper, the more you’re likely to get a wrinkle in it. Well, if the skin is a bit oiler, has better moisture to it, it will tend not to get a heavy crease in it.”