A lot is written on proper skin care and how to protect against the harmful rays of the sun; what is often implied in these musings as well is that skin cancer is a concern primarily of those with fair skin. The truth could not be further off base. Just because a skin tone naturally contains more melanin does not mean it is risk free from skin cancer.
An increase of skin pigmentation does add protection against the UV rays of the sun, but it is not a shield. Those with brown skin must also use proper skin care products to guard against the harmful rays of the sun; the use of SPF sunscreen when sun bathing and swimming is mandatory. It is actually more important to avoid sunburn on brown skin, as it is oftentimes much more difficult in the long run to identify and treat skin issues caused by excessive sun, such as subtle changes in moles. This difficulty in diagnosis often delays a skin cancer diagnoses in those from African-American, Asian, Latino, and Native American backgrounds, which increases the morbidity and mortality rates for several types of skin cancer in comparison to their white counterparts.
The following skin care guidelines are recommended by The American Academy of Dermatology:
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Wow this was really interesting. I have abnormally fair skin and have always been severly jealous of darker complections as I thought they didn’t have to worry. Great blog!