Clarifying Common Misconceptions: Black Americans Must Protect Their Skin Too

Extreme heat can cause negative health implications for everyone — that’s right, all people.  

Less than a month into the summer season, the District has faced scorching hot temperatures, causing D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to activate heat emergencies and encourage residents to protect themselves from the dangers associated with the hot weather. 

“During extreme heat, people should limit their time outdoors,” according to a press release from the Mayor’s Office. 

While there are many health risks from heat, including heat exhaustion, stroke, and sunburn, skin cancer can also be a real threat. While there are many misconceptions about how the sun affects the body, experts are working to help raise awareness about proper skin care, keep people safe and address cancer risks in darker complexions.

Melanoma and Black Americans

Although longtime myths and bad rumors say otherwise, Black people must protect their skin from the sun too. 

While Black people are less likely to develop melanoma, a type of skin cancer that begins in the melanocytes of the skin, than non-Hispanic White people, they statistically show a lower five-year survival rate if they do.  According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA), lifetime risk of getting melanoma is roughly 3% (1 in 33) for white people compared to 0.1% (1 in 1000) for Black people, and 0.5% (1 in 200) for Hispanic people.  

Despite such low rates, Black Americans must still pay attention to what’s happening with their skin.

“People of all colors, including those with brown and Black skin, get skin cancer.  Even if you never sunburn, you can get skin cancer,” the AADA stated.  

Skin cancer is often more challenging to detect among dark skin tones, as it can present as patches, discoloration, or dark spots, making it extremely critical for those with darker skin to perform regular skin checks.

“When skin cancer develops in people of color, it’s often in a late stage when diagnosed,” according to the AADA. “This can be deadly when the person has melanoma, a type of skin cancer that can spread quickly.  Treatment for any type of skin cancer can be difficult in the late stages.”

Clarifying Common Misconceptions

A common belief is that melanin, the pigment that darkens skin, naturally protects Black skin from Ultraviolet (UV) rays, preventing any negative effects from the sun.  However, skin experts like Dr. Yolanda Holmes, a board-certified dermatologist and surgeon in the Washington, D.C. area, offered insight as to how these perceptions can put Black people at risk, particularly as it relates to using sunscreen.

“I think the perception that [Black people] don’t need sunscreen is because we have a very low incidence of skin cancer.  It’s not impossible, and a lot of the cancers that we develop are in non sun-exposed areas, but because of that, they can be very advanced when they’re detected,” Holmes told The Informer.  “However, I always encourage people to use sunscreens, because not only does the sun cause fine lines and wrinkles on our skin, it also causes dark spots and it makes us look older than we are if our skin is exposed to the sun and not protected.”

Dermatologists suggest that the melanin of a person of African descent blocks UVlight up to SPF 13, which is not as strong as sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.  However, some people claim to grow frustrated when using sunscreens due to the unpolished finish often left on the skin after use.  

“I think the recommendation from the dermatological standpoint is that you use SPF 30 but that you reapply it as necessary.  The sensitivity sometimes comes from the chemicals in the sunscreen, not necessarily the SPF, but the chemicals there,” said Holmes.  “The sunscreens that leave the white cast on your skin are physical or mineral sunscreens and contain chemicals like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide that tend to appear whitish on the skin. But there are lots of new formulations that are either sheer or invisible or micronized. If you see that on the sunscreen, that means that it should not leave that white cast on your skin, and those are the ones that I recommend for brown skin.”

While sunscreen is a helpful protectant against skin cancer, regular skin checks whether through self-examinations or a doctor visit are imperative to knowing the health of your skin, particularly if you see any unusual growths or changes including dark spots, sores that won’t heal, or a patch of skin that feels dry or rough. 

Dangers of skin cancer are not the only skin problems that folks should work to prevent this summer.  A rising heat index can also make skin more susceptible to sunburn, acne breakouts, dry skin, folliculitis (infected hair follicles), heat rash, and even infections from a manicure or pedicure, as the process can expose your skin and cuticles to germs that can cause an infection.

“While these summer skin problems can dampen your fun, they’re usually not serious.  Most go away in a few days to a few weeks,” according to the AADA. “If a rash or other skin problem lingers or worsens, you should call your dermatologist’s office.”