Asian skin had has different tones and textures compared to non-Asian skin and requires different care. Natural tones vary from lighter in the northern countries to much darker in the south.

Young Asian skin tends to be relatively thick and smooth with a slight yellow underdone. It is more sensitive to irritation, more prone to acne and hormonal change, and exhibits delayed and more noticeable reaction to even simple cuts.

On the other hand, Asian skin is slower to show aging changes and wrinkling, is less likely to burn or develop skin cancer, and generally looks younger for at least ten years longer than non-Asian or Occidental skin.

With passing years, sun-damaged Asian skin can discolor and age to a heightened degree due to its higher pigmentary content and increased loss of subcutaneous fat.

The appearance and darkening of brown age spots can be lessened by limiting exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Good general skin care advice incorporates common sense measures:

• Eat a healthy diet emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Drink plenty of water to ensure good skin hydration.

• Use a water-based moisturizer.

• Apply daily sun protection (sunblock lotions and protective clothing) that shield against both UV-A and UV-B.

• Occasionally exfoliate away dead surface cells with facial scrubs or mild spa-level treatments, and

• Avoid smoking, the "kiss-of-death" to preserving skin luminosity and delicacy.

Once damage from sun, trauma, or aging have appeared, it's too late for prevention, and medical treatments ranging from the non-invasive to the minimally-invasive to the ablative may be indicated. Due to the structure of Asian skin, such care is often different than that used in the non-Asian patient.