ASDS Abstract Examines Black Women’s Aesthetic Concerns

Patients’ concerns and desires can vary based on various demographics, so understanding the interests of Black women was the focus of a top-10 abstract presented by Michelle Henry, MD, at the 2024 American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) Annual Meeting.

Dr. Henry presented “Interest in Professionally Administered Aesthetic Treatments for Face and Body: Results from Black Female-Identifying Respondents of a Large Survey of Aesthetically Inclined Adults in the U.S.” A total of 3,273 female respondents completed the survey, with 796 self-identifying as Black. Among the Black female respondents, the majority self-reported as Fitzpatrick skin type IV (54%) or V (35%); also, among that subset, 13.8% were Gen Z/Young Millennials (<30 years), 33.4% were Older Millennials (31-41 years), 28.9% were Generation X (42-57 years), and 23.9% were Baby Boomers or older (58-85 years).

From 41 facial and 31 body characteristics, respondents indicated the likelihood of receiving treatment for each characteristic within the next year. The percent of respondents who had the characteristic and indicated “probably will” or “definitely will” seek treatment for each characteristic was compared to top aesthetic concerns identified previously. Respondents were also asked which of 48 aesthetic facial or body treatments they were most likely to receive within the next year, and Maximum Difference scaling was used to identify the top treatments.

Among the Black female respondents, the facial concerns most likely to be professionally treated were unwanted hair on the face, uneven skin color/hyperpigmentation, hair loss/thinning hair, and dark under-eye circles; the body concerns most likely to be professionally treated were stubborn body fat in the stomach and sides, and uneven skin color/hyperpigmentation. The highest aesthetic concerns facially were dark under-eye circles and hair loss/thinning hair; for the body, stubborn body fat in the stomach was more of an aesthetic concern than in the sides. Uneven skin color/hyperpigmentation was determined to be a low aesthetic concern for the body.

Black female respondents expressed the greatest interest in receiving facials, nonsurgical fat reduction, and tummy tucks/abdominoplasty.

“Black women were really the only population where they looked at facial concerns and body concerns as almost equal,” Dr. Henry said. “We again see that disparity between the most bottom concerns with our eyes, and then wanted facial care. Most patients are more likely to treat that facial hair. Why? Is this the advertising they’re receiving? The information they're receiving? How do we change that? How do we increase their satisfaction by letting them know we do have treatments for this area? Again, when we're looking at the body, we know that those body concerns are going to be the top concern for this patient population. And so, that's really important as we're developing new technology, developing new protocols, to really think about this patient population and really understand these areas of disparity.

The study concluded that further research is warranted to elucidate the reasoning behind disparities in areas of concern and willingness to treat, which may reflect a lack of awareness of alternative treatments or of safety and efficacy profiles of specific aesthetic treatments.

“I find it really interesting and I think it will help to change our practice, to change our understanding of these patients,” Dr. Henry said.