Sun Exposure Can Damage Darker Skin Too

The darker your skin, the less you should worry about skin cancer. Right?

protect all skin types The darker your skin, the less you should worry about skin cancer. Right?

Dead wrong. In truth, the rates of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, are increasing regardless of skin color. And darker skin can also get basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, the more common and more treatable kinds of skin cancer. “I want to educate women of color that skin cancer does happen in minorities,” says Los Angeles-based dermatologist Jessica Wu, M.D.

In fact, people of color are more likely to have stage III or IV melanoma at the time of diagnosis, according to Dr. Wu, which means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. One reason may be that African-Americans, Latinos, Asians and Native peoples tend to get acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM), an aggressive form of melanoma that spreads quickly and has a lower survival rate. Often recognized in its later stages, ALM usually appears on the hands, feet, nails and mucous membranes (nose, mouth, anus). It may look like a bruise, a mole, a red patch or a stripe under the nail. Reggae icon Bob Marley died from ALM that began as a malignant tumor on his toe. He refused amputation (for religious reasons) and the cancer metastasized to his major organs.

Another factor is low awareness. “My patients with darker skin tone have a false sense of security,” says Dr. Wu. Some patients have told her they don’t need to wear sunscreen because they aren’t fair-skinned.

While it’s true that darker skin isn’t as vulnerable to sun damage, it doesn’t mean caution is unnecessary. “The melanin in skin of color offers some protection, but it is incomplete,” says Susan C. Taylor, M.D., the director of the Skin of Color Center at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York. The skin produces pigment to try to shield itself from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, so darker skin starts out with a little more sun protection factor (SPF), but darker skin can still burn, which can lead to blistering, scarring and keloids (thick scar tissue that grows outward).

A study done by the University of Cincinnati dermatology department found that even the darkest skin only has an SPF 13. “Therefore, we recommend applying at least an SPF of 15 which will bring you up to roughly an SPF 30,” says Dr. Taylor.

With darker skin, it’s also easier to burn before you realize it’s happening. Even if you go out unprotected by sunscreen, hats or long-sleeved clothing, the redness and pain of sunburn may not emerge on darker skin for a few hours, so you may not notice you’re burning until it’s too late. Dr. Wu once made that mistake at an outdoor event. What she thought was her dress strap simply irritating her shoulder was actually the first sign that she was starting to burn. It wasn’t until several hours later that she realized she had sunburn. The moral of that story, says Dr. Wu, is if you’re out in the sun and any area of your skin starts to feel itchy, sensitive or prickly, it means you need to cover up and retreat to the shade.

NEXT: Protecting your skin >>

Make Sunscreen a Priority
Sunscreen comes in different levels of sun protection. For each level of SPF, you can be in the sun five times longer than if your skin were bare. So, if it takes 10 minutes for you to burn with no protection, applying SPF 5 sunscreen would keep your skin safe from damage for 50 minutes. Dr. Wu advises everyone, regardless of skin tone, use at least SPF 30 or above because the average person doesn’t apply enough sunscreen.

One problem is the titanium and zincs in many sunscreens leave a whitish residue that can make you look pasty, so people tend to use less. The minerals offer great protection, but they don’t absorb well into the skin. The solution: Choose a sunscreen without titanium and zinc, many of which are just as effective. Dr. Wu recommends Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock Lotion or Aveeno Continuous Protection Active Sunblock Spray. “Spray once, let it dry, and spray it again,” she says.

Your daily moisturizer should have an SPF, but if not, use sunscreen first, and then apply your lotion and makeup on top. If you walk outside for lunch or drive a lot during the day, make sure you wear sunscreen, reapplying as necessary.

“If you are a woman of color, it’s so important to put sunscreen on your hands and feet," says Dr. Wu. "They don’t typically burn, but they can.” Wearing lip balm with SPF – or lipstick with zinc or titanium – should also be a part of your daily beauty regimen.

Take a Peek at Your Skin
Examine your skin, especially your hands and feet, about once a month. Look for new or changing moles, and any skin that is itchy or bleeding. “Anything that’s new deserves to be looked at by a dermatologist,” says Dr. Wu. That being said, the majority of moles and blemishes she sees are not skin cancer. They are either harmless or pre-cancerous, which isn’t dangerous if the growth is removed before it progresses.

Every inch of your skin should be checked out once a year by a dermatologist. The best way to remember to schedule an annual dermatological exam is to remember to “be in your birthday suit on your birthday.” So, every year around your birthday, schedule a checkup, and make sure your doctor looks at your hands and feet, in between your toes and on the bottom of your feet.

When any skin cancer is found and treated early—including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma—it has a very high rate of survival. If you suspect something is wrong with your skin, see your doctor immediately.

Jessica Wu, M.D. is a practicing dermatologist in Los Angeles, the skin and beauty expert for EverydayHealth.com and a clinical instructor of dermatology at the University of Southern California. She has her own skin-care line, Dr. Jessica Wu Cosmeceuticals.

Dr. Susan Taylor is a BeWell.com expert and the director of the Skin of Color Center at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York. She is also the creator of RX for Brown Skin, a line of skin-care products developed to treat the concerns unique to darker skin.