#Sunscreen for black people skin

ThatвЂ™s why itвЂ™s important to consult your physician if any new skin lesions arise that do not heal within a month or two,вЂќ Saavedra says. вЂњContrary to a common misconception, those with skin of color can develop skin cancer. So by the time they see a provider for a suspicious spot, the cancer is more advanced and difficult to treat.

However, many darker-skinned patients think they wonвЂ™t get skin cancer. That explains why just 1-2% of all skin cancers occur in Blacks, 2-4% occur in Asians, and 4-5% in Hispanics. The rate of skin cancer diagnoses is proportional to the pigment in the skin, says Guffey. ThatвЂ™s because they often donвЂ™t get a diagnosis until itвЂ™s at a later stage. But people of color are more likely to die of the disease. No matter how good the umbrella, youвЂ™ll end up less wet if you also wear a raincoat.вЂќ Myth: Skin Cancer in People of Color Is Less CommonДЇact: It's true skin cancer is more common in those with lighter skin. вЂњTo revisit our umbrella analogy: if the skinвЂ™s natural melanin pigment is comparable to the bodyвЂ™s umbrella, wearing sunscreen can be likened to using that umbrella andВ wearing a raincoat. 'This additional resistance against sun damage occurs with sunscreen use regardless of the baseline pigment of the skin,вЂќ says Guffey. Myth: People with Dark Skin DonвЂ™t Need to Wear SunscreenДЇact: Sunscreen provides added protection against the UV rays that can cause skin cancer and is recommended for all skin types.В Sunscreen increases the skinвЂ™s natural resistance to sun damage by absorbing and reflecting sunlight. This is basically cancer, Guffey explains: The rapid, unchecked growth of atypical cells. As a result, you get an overgrowth of atypical cells that the body is less equipped to recognize and destroy. When sunlight penetrates cells, UV radiation damages the cellвЂ™s DNA, which compromises the bodyвЂ™s basic blueprint for growing new cells and structures. But no skin is 100% effective at preventing sunlight from coming through,вЂќ says Guffey. In other words, thereвЂ™s no such thing as a healthy tan.Дarker skin may not show these visible signs of sun damage as readily. вЂњItвЂ™s trying to make its umbrella bigger by producing more melanin because youвЂ™ve harmed the DNA,вЂќ says Guffey. Even a tan is a sign that your body is trying to adapt to an insult. вЂњThe lighter the skin, the bigger the holes.вЂќДЄny time you get a sunburn, thatвЂ™s a sign of damage to the DNA. вЂњItвЂ™s like an umbrella with a bunch of holes in it,вЂќ says Guffey. That makes it easier for sunlight to get through to damage the cellsвЂ™ DNA. This melanin absorbs the sunвЂ™s rays before they can damage the cellвЂ™s DNA.Д«y contrast, in light-colored skin, these melanocytes make fewer and smaller clumps of this pigment. In pigmented skin, those cells make more melanin and in bigger clumps. However, these melanocytes, or cells that make melanin (the substance in skin that gives off color), work differently in different skin types. вЂњDarkly pigmented skin has the same number of cells that give off pigment as light-colored skin,вЂќ he explains. Myth: The Sun DoesnвЂ™t Damage Dark SkinДЇact: Sun damage - including sunburn - happens no matter what color the skin.В To understand why, Guffey provides a lesson in skin makeup. They addressedВ common myths and misconceptions that may keep people of color from taking sun protection seriously.

We talked with dermatologists Darren Guffey, MD, and Arturo Saavedra, MD, PhD.

Sun Damage, Sunburn, and Skin Cancer In People of Color Studies show that minority populations, particularly Hispanics and Blacks, do not regularly wear sunscreen or take other steps to protect themselves from the sun. For your friends of color, however, sunscreen may never make it out of the beach bag. Hit the beach with your pale-skinned friends, and theyвЂ™ll likely want to slather on some sunscreen before beachcombing and body surfing.

Sunscreen for black people