A Special interest, by Arman Zaki

A Special interest in Skin of Colour.

Most clinics treat Fitzpatrick IV, V, VI as a complication to manage. At Melatone™ they are planned for from the first consultation, alongside every other skin type. I am Arman Zaki, GMC-registered Physician Associate, and I personally lead every patient's clinical consultation and treatment plan. The goal is even tone and healthy skin. The position is evening, not lightening. The reading below is the writing that follows.

Articles in this category

Articles in this category

Skincare

Microneedling for neck lines and crepey skin. What it can do, and what it cannot.

What a 2022 neck trial found and where it falls short, why the neck is treated more gently, darker skin, what microneedling will not do, and face and neck prices.

By Arman Zaki · 4 min read · 24 October 2026

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Skincare

Mandelic acid. What it does for skin, and when a clinic peel beats a serum.

Why its molecule size gives a gentler exfoliation profile, what three small trials in Indian patients show and do not show, serum or clinic peel, and the pauses for pregnancy, nut allergy and isotretinoin.

By Arman Zaki · 8 min read · 22 September 2026

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Comparison

Microneedling or a chemical peel. Which one for acne scars, and which for acne marks.

Flat marks or scars with depth, what a peel and microneedling each do, a trial of 60 people with Fitzpatrick IV to VI skin, and how the two combine.

By Arman Zaki · 7 min read · 22 September 2026

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Skincare

Retinal vs retinol. Which vitamin A, and which strength, for your skin.

The retinol to retinal to retinoic acid chain, the 1990s retinaldehyde trials, a four-week introduction protocol, the pregnancy and pre-treatment pauses, and why irritation on Fitzpatrick IV to VI leaves marks that outlast the redness. Seven peer-reviewed sources plus DermNet and the NHS.

By Arman Zaki · 9 min read · 7 September 2026

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Comparison

Laser vs IPL for dark skin. Why the difference matters.

Why 1064nm is the established wavelength for Fitzpatrick IV to VI, and why IPL carries more risk on darker skin.

By Catia Zaki · 9 min read · 25 July 2026

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Comparison

Skin boosters vs chemical peels. Which is right for your skin.

What each does, which suits your skin, and the darker-skin caveats that matter for Fitzpatrick IV to VI.

By Catia Zaki · 9 min read · 25 July 2026

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Skin of Colour

The best aesthetic treatments for darker skin in South London.

The aesthetic treatments that suit Fitzpatrick IV to VI skin across South London, and what each one is for.

By Catia Zaki · 11 min read · 25 July 2026

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Skin of Colour

At-home routine for pigmentation in Skin of Colour

Three OTC products we may consider under consultation for pigmentation in Skin of Colour, with the caveats and the evidence base.

By Catia Zaki · 9 min read · 8 June 2026

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Laser

Alexandrite vs Nd:YAG laser hair removal in London. What to ask before any clinic touches your skin.

Five questions to ask any laser clinic before booking, plus why 1064nm is the established wavelength for Fitzpatrick IV-VI.

By Catia Zaki · 12 min read · 24 May 2026

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Editorial intent

Every article in this Special interest is written with Skin of Colour readers as the default, not the exception. Pieces cover hyperpigmentation protocols, post-inflammatory marks, melasma versus PIH, regenerative work on melanin-rich skin, at-home routines, and the specific clinical considerations chain clinics routinely miss. Arman leads every clinical consultation and reviews every piece against the published literature. Catia delivers the laser and HydroMED Pro work that follows.

Why patients trust this

  • 5.0 on Fresha
  • 5.0 on Google
  • ✓Clinical consultations led by Arman Zaki, GMC-registered PA (Ref A8131967)
  • ✓Every protocol matched to your Fitzpatrick type before treatment begins
  • ✓No bleaching, no skin-whitening. Healthy skin for every tone.

Book with Arman

Skip the chain clinic.

A 30-minute Fitzpatrick consultation at £30, with a treatment plan locked in for your skin. £30 is deducted from any treatment plan you go on to start.

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Where we are

Unit 13A, Battersea Business Centre, 99-109 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5QL. Ten minutes' walk from Clapham Junction.

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Talk to Arman directly

Send your Skin of Colour question on WhatsApp.

If you have spent time on the wrong clinic, you already know how rare clinical attention to darker skin is. Ask Arman anything before you book a consultation. Replies typically within working hours.

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