![]() ![]() Vitamin D deficiency may be approximately twice as prevalent in the Black population as it is in the white population, and many people believe sunscreen exacerbates this.ĭr. Melanin is also not consistent throughout the bodyĪnother common concern related to sunscreen use is how it affects the body’s absorption of vitamin D. Singh also adds that the melanin in darker skin can only “protect from some of that damage.” Melanin may not be able to protect the skin from UVA rays as well as it protects skin from UVB rays. Meena Singh of the Kansas Medical Clinic, “patients with darker skin tones have a natural SPF of 13” - but when it comes to the sun’s damaging effects, the power of melanin is hugely overstated.įor one, the natural SPF of 13 that some Black people have in their skin is a lot less than the daily use of a SPF 30 or higher that dermatologists recommend for sun protection.ĭr. Word of mouth myths: Is there “natural” sun protection? ![]() Though not related to sun exposure, the areas where the cancer tends to form, no doubt has a hand in the often-delayed prognosis. ![]() It forms in areas not exposed to the sun: the palms of the hands, the soles of feet, and even underneath nails. Studies show that black people are four times more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage melanoma and tend to succumb at a rate of 1.5 times more than white people with a similar diagnosis.Īnother contributor to this statistic could be instances of acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM), a type of melanoma commonly diagnosed in the black community. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, in the United States alone, there are about 700,000 new diagnosis each year.ĭespite being the second most common skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is usually curable when caught early.Īlthough skin cancer is less prevalent in the black community than in the white population, when it does occur among people of color, it tends to be diagnosed at a later, and more advanced, stage. Squamous cell carcinoma is a common type of cancer that develops on skin that has received prolonged exposure to the sun. However, what’s left out of the conversation is: Black folks who do develop skin cancer may be more likely to receive a late-stage prognosis. This myth may have come from the statistic that the Black community has a lower incidence of skin cancer. Research suggests that many patients and physicians believe that non-white people are “immune” to common skin cancers. When it comes to skin cancer, decreasing the risk is just as important as decreasing the degree to which people die from it. She tells Healthline, “ funding and awareness typically excludes those with darker skin tones.”Īnd data backs up this disparity: A 2012 study found that 47 percent of dermatologists and dermatology residents admitted that they weren’t properly trained on skin conditions in Black people.Ī 2014 study found that Black people were prescribed sunscreen after ER visits roughly 9 times less than their white counterparts.Įven in cases of pigment-related skin diseases where sun sensitivity is a concern, doctors still tell Black people to use sunscreen much less than their white counterparts.Īnother study found that in the case of dyschromia, a skin pigmentation disorder, Black individuals were less likely to receive combination therapy compared to other skin types.Īnd to follow up with the research that both patients and physicians believe in sun immunity, 2011 research found that in comparison to white patients, dermatological clinicians were often less suspicious about sun lesions and other causes for alarm in Black patients. Chesahna Kindred, vice chair of the National Medical Association dermatology section, agrees that there’s a difference in attention given to Black skin within the practice. Historically, the field of medicine hasn’t given Black people adequate medical care, and the field of dermatology is no exception.ĭr. However, this lack of awareness isn’t a myth that comes from the Black community itself. ‘Black don’t crack’ wasn’t a phrase I really heard a lot growing up. Leah Donnella wrote for NPR’s ‘Code Switch,’ “I never really worried about protecting my skin from the sun. Do Black people need sunscreen? Plug this question into Google and you get over 70 million results that all emphasize a resounding yes.Īnd yet the conversation of how necessary this preventive practice is has been disregarded - and sometimes by the Black community - for years.
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