Think sunscreen is only for your Caucasian friends?
Think again.
Yes, people with pale skin are more likely to get skin cancer, including melanoma, but African-American women can develop these conditions, too.
Get the facts so you know how to protect yourself — and what danger signs you should watch out for.
Sunscreen Basics for African Americans
Your skin absorbs the invisible ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the sun’s rays, which causes skin cancer, eye damage, and premature aging.
African-Americans have high levels of melanin, a dark pigment, in their skin.
This gives you some protection from UV rays — you won’t get sunburn as quickly as super-pale redheads, for example — but it doesn’t protect you completely.
Can I Get Skin Cancer?
Squamous cell cancer is the most common type of skin cancer among African-Americans.
You can get squamous cell cancer in sun-exposed areas, like your legs, or areas that don’t receive sunlight exposure. Squamous cell cancer can spread to your lymph nodes and organs, too.
African-Americans don’t develop melanoma as frequently as other races, but when they do develop this type of skin cancer, it usually develops on the palms of hands, soles of feet and under the nails.
When to See a Doctor
Skin cancer is often treatable, but early detection is important.
Examine your skin once a month and see a doctor if you notice an abnormal mole, a change in a mole or a new skin lesion. Moles that have ragged, fuzzy edges, have varying colors, aren’t symmetrical or itch are more likely to indicate melanoma.
Sun Safety
Prevent skin cancer and sun damage, including sunburns, by wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every time you go outside.
Reapply sunscreen every two hours. Wear shades with UVA and UVB protection to protect your eyes, and try not to get too much sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Skin Issues from Too Much Sun Exposure
You can enjoy the sun while tackling some of its side effects. Here’s how to handles some of the annoying skin issues that are created by the sun’s rays.
1. Sunburn
If your skin feels abnormally warm of hot, begins to blister or peel — or it feels painful to the touch, you may be suffering from sunburn.
Sooth and cool sunburn by covering the affected area with a cold compress to combat swelling.
Then relieve the itching, pain, and burning sensations by applying aloe vera or coconut oil to your skin.
2. Heat Bumps
Sun exposure can cause tiny bumps to form on your skin. They are called: miliaria, heat bumps, a heat rash, or prickly heat.
To calm your inflamed skin, first, take a cool shower. Then dry off and sprinkle the affected areas with cornstarch.
Although cornstarch is messy, it will reduce the friction between your skin and your clothes, making it easier to get dressed — or sleep well in the sheets.
To speed up the disappearance of the heat bumps, coat your skin with a thin layer of hydrocortisone cream after showering or bathing.
3. Oily Skin Breakouts
When the temps rise your skin may react to oil by breaking out in a natural pigment that resembles acne.
First, wash and moisturize with products that are specifically formulated for oily skin. then, apply a retinoid. It will help combat the oil and unclog your pores.
4. Insect Bites and Uneven Skin Tone
Another annoying summer skin condition is an attack of insects that bite. Most reactions to insect bites are mild, causing little more than itching, redness, or minor swelling.
But if you don’t treat your bug bites with a little TLC, you could unknowingly darken your skin.
Hyperpigmentation – a condition where patches of skin become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin– can result from picking and scratching your insect bites.
To fix your uneven skin woes exfoliate your skin daily, fade out your spots with products that contain retinoic acid, and use glycolic acid peels once every other week.
A glycolic acid peel is an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) chemical exfoliation treatment that reduces hyperpigmentation in the skin by increasing cell regeneration.
You love the sun but your skin can do without its side effects.
Whether you are at the beach in the city or lounging by the pool, keep your skin beautiful and fresh by taking care of the sun’s annoying challenges and wearing sunscreen.