Of the six myths pertaining to sun safety, say medical experts, one that stands out among African Americans is that sun burns and skin cancer are not a possibility among them. The truth is however, anyone can get sun burn or develop skin cancer. The Sentinel recently caught up with Dr. Manju Dawkins MD, to talk about people of color and sun safety, and how a comprehensive regimen can prevent skin problems.
“People of color do have somewhat more protection because of the increased melanin in our skin,” Dawkins said.
“But, sun damage still happens so we want to be as careful as possible. Skin cancer does happen in people of color, although that’s something not really well known. We still have to be careful in the sun.”
It’s best to stay out of the sun, if possible, between the hours of 10:00am and 2:00pm when the rays are the strongest, she said.
“Number two, if you’re going to be out, try to find shade, stand under an umbrella or a tree, etc. Thirdly, wear protective clothing, things like sunglasses, wide brimmed hats, shirts and pants that are more tightly knit are more protective. And, you don’t want to give up shoes and the reason I mention that is because melanoma, which is a particularly deadly type of skin cancer occurs a lot of the time in skin of color on the feet so it’s really important to protect your feet as well.”
In fact, it’s called acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM), an aggressive cancer that disproportionately afflicts African Americans and other dark-skinned people. Marlene Cimons reported on a case in the Washington Post three years ago, that involved a patient, Betty Jordan who only discovered she had the disease after a friend urged her to go to the doctor.
Dawkins said there are other myths regarding sun safety. These include:
•I wear sunscreen so I am completely protected from the sun. While sunscreen is a crucial element in protecting yourself from sun damage, staying in the shade and wearing sun-protective clothing such as hats, sunglasses and clothing made of tightly-woven fabrics, are very important in enabling you to enjoy the sun safely.
•My car windows are tinted, so I am protected from the sun while driving. Car windows do offer some protection from UVB rays which are the ones that cause sunburn and skin cancer, but UVA rays, which penetrate deeper and cause premature aging, can still get through. In fact, adults who spend a lot of time driving often note more sun damage on their left side than their right, due to the UV rays they are being exposed to through the windows. Words of advice: Keep sunscreen in your car.
•I don’t need to protect myself from the sun on an overcast or foggy day. You can even get sunburned on a foggy day. UV rays can go through clouds, so make sure you protect yourself in rain or shine.
•Sunscreen doesn’t work on my child. Sunscreen works on every child. You just need to apply it often enough (every two hours in the direct sun), and more frequently when swimming or sweating. In fact, suffering one or more blistering sunburns in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person’s chances of developing potentially-deadly melanoma later in life.
•I don’t get sunburns. I have a healthy tan. There is no such thing as a healthy tan. The physical sign of a tan is the skin’s way of trying to protect itself from further skin damage.
