*Sponsored Post by AQ Skin Solutions SA*
Written by Amy Knoetze, Director of AQ Skin Solutions SA
When speaking to patients of colour who had bad experiences seeking treatment for skin problems. Afia Ahmed Chaudhry, a history teacher and researcher based in London, said how her mother felt her skin colour meant she got stuck in a cycle of misdiagnosis. “[Patients of colour] are often fobbed off,” Chaudhry said, “and then you keep going round and round until you give up, or have to pay to go private.” She is furious that it took her mother 15 years to be offered the correct treatment for her severe acne. “She shouldn’t have had to wait so long,” she said. “They should’ve addressed the topical treatments that weren’t working for her.”
For centuries, African societies have had expertise in dealing with richly pigmented skin, using infusions, poultices and ointments made from plants: from the prickly pear extracts used as emollients, to aloe vera used to heal wounds, to rooibos used to treat dermatitis. But much of this traditional knowledge has been lost.
Mohamed Soumah – a professor of dermatology at Donka National hospital, in Conakry, Guinea – said that “in Africa, there is little work that deals with dermatology on dark skin”. African doctors still study using textbooks mainly written in the west, he said, so doctors must pick up what their books fail to teach them through everyday exposure to dark-skinned patients.
To address western medicine’s lack of knowledge of patients of colour, clinics have been set up where people can see dermatologists who take a special interest in darker skin. Most major western cities now have such “skin of colour clinics”, many operating under the banner of “ethnic dermatology” or “multicultural dermatology”.
The premise behind having such dedicated skin of colour clinics is that dark skin is, in a clinically relevant way, different to caucasian skin. But exactly what and how medically important these differences are is still contested. In many cases, long-debunked ideas remain widespread.
The AQ Skin Solutions Technology
Growth factor (GF) technology refers to AQ’s cutting edge method of producing human growth factors and utilising them in topical cosmeceuticals for skin, hair follicles and vaginal walls.
What are allogenic Growth factors and why are they the foundation of the AQ Skin Solutions Growth factor lines?
Autologous: Auto means self. The Growth factors in autologous transplants come from the same person who will get the transplant, so the patient is their own donor.
Allogeneic: Allo means other. The GF in allogeneic transplants are from a person other than the patient, either a matched related or unrelated donor.
In the AQ line we use allogenic GF as that have been cloned into immortal cell lines. The reason for using Allogenic rather than autologous or recombinant is that Allogenic Growth Factors are fitted with the correct symphony and structure that our human skin needs. They are automatically equipped with the correct consistency, type and amount of GF to correctly heal and restructure human skin, whereas autologous (PRP) is limited by the doners health, medication and also limited to only 7 GF families maximum, never mind the fact that you cannot control which GF (Growth Factor) you are using. And well recombinant (produced via bacterium) can only produce 1 GF at a time and can be dangerous and burn out cells.
Why are Allogenic Growth Factors the solution to restructuring and repairing African skin?
The AQ Skin Solutions cloned Allogenic GF line works to rebuild the targeted tissue, it automatically puts tissue into an accelerated state of repair and has the ability to bind to specific receptors in human skin and regulate cell functions, building extracellular matrix, controlling inflammation, building capillary networks and restoring the tissue function to your patients full genetic potential, minimising side effects and creating long-lasting skin health.

Patient 1: before

Patient 1: two weeks after treatment

Patient 2: before and after 3 weeks

Patient 2: before and after 3 weeks
What is traction alopecia?
Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by tightly pulled hairstyles. Caught early, it is fully reversible and the hair can regrow. Over time, however, hair follicles can become irreversibly damaged so that the hair does not regrow.
- Traction alopecia is caused by the hair being pulled in a certain way repeatedly.
- Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by the hair being pulled in the same way for a long time.
- Traction alopecia can happen to anyone who wears their hair pulled back tightly, whether in braids, dreadlocks, or a ponytail. It can also occur when tight headwear is used in the same way every day.
- Repeated strain on the hair follicles can pull out strands of hair and even damage the follicles. This causes redness, itching, and even pus-producing ulcers or infections.
Signs of traction alopecia include:
- a receding hairline typically around the forehead, temples, or nape
- small pimples appear on the scalp or at the base of braids
- redness, itching, and ulcers on the scalp
- the hair parting widens
- patches of thin or broken hair in places where the hair has been under strain
- patches of shiny, scarred skin in more advanced cases
How does AQ Advanced Hair complex plus treat traction alopecia?
“AQ SKIN SOLUTIONS® ADVANCED HAIR COMPLEX PLUS was created to address ageing hair follicles and hair loss by employing patented human growth factor technology to promote healthy hair. Stem cells lining the hair follicles are crucial for the production and maintenance of hair. Supplementing with growth factors and active ingredients provides support to these stem cells so that hair can thrive, holding on to healthy hair, longer. AQ’s advanced formulation works by nourishing hair follicles to a more functional and healthy state with Growth Factors, active ingredients and fruit oils. This product aims to improve the overall condition of the scalp and damaged hair follicles while trying to increase the circulation of select growth factor proteins found in your healthy hair follicles. This process can allow for a normal hair growth cycle that leads to improved overall hair quality.”
— Dr. Ahmed Al-Qahtani
(Founder & President, AQ Skin Solutions)
Contact AQ Skin Solutions South Africa
Website: www.aqskinsolutionssa.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AQSkinSolutionsSA
Instagram: www.instagram.com/aqskinsolutionssa
Email: info@aqskinsolutionssa.com
Phone: 021 914 0447 | 074 027 6919
Rochelle is the founder and driving force behind Aesthetic Appointment. With a passion for the aesthetics and pro-ageing industry in South Africa, she has been in the aesthetic publishing industry since 2012, dedicated to creating a valuable platform for insights and knowledge, bridging the gap between patients and doctors - delivering reliable, medical-based information. Rochelle firmly believes in the power of a good skincare regimen, especially when started at home, and is committed to educating consumers about the myriad of treatments, procedures, and products available to them.