'We can get skin cancer': Dermatologists talk sunscreen for Black, brown people
It's a common belief among Black and brown community members: They don't need to wear sunscreen and they don't get sunburned.
Dr. Mona Gohara, a dermatologist at Dermatology Physicians of Connecticut and associate clinical professor at Yale University's School of Medicine, says the beliefs go back to the "old school mentality" that sunscreen just protects against sun burning, sun-tanning and skin cancer, and that Black and brown people can't burn, tan or get skin cancer.
"None of those are true," she says. "We can burn. We can tan, and we can get skin cancer."
She and other dermatologists push back against these claims, instead encouraging those with darker complexions to make wearing sunscreen routine.
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Gohara says many people of color don't realize the power of sunscreen.
Sunscreen protects the skin from excessive sunlight, yes, but it also helps with anti-aging, acne scars and dark spots, and protects against visible or blue light, she says. Such light comes from devices like computer screens, cell phones and lightbulbs.
This visible light, Gohara says, can lead to a condition called melasma, a blotchy, brownish discoloration on the face – a condition more common in Black and brown people. Melasma is more common in Black and brown people because they make more melanin, pigmentation that gives the skin its brown color.
"Melasma is a reaction that happens when melanin interacts with some type of light," Gohara says. "The more melanin you have, the more likely you are to get it."
Melasma mostly occurs on the cheeks, says Dr. Henry Lim, senior vice president for academic affairs at the Henry Ford Health System in Michigan. Some people even develop melasma around their eyes.
But melasma isn't the only condition people of color are at risk for if they don't use sunscreen. There's also post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or discoloration that comes after breakouts, says Gohara.
"(Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) is much more likely to happen in us because our melanin kicks into overdrive," Gohara says. "If we don't wear sunscreen, we can be left with hyperpigmentation and brown marks that can last for a long time."
Melanin, she says, is a pigment produced in the upper layer of skin called the epidermis; in addition to giving skin its brown color, it also protects against ultraviolet light from the sun's rays.
"A medium-brown person probably has a God-given melanin sun protection factor of about 13 versus a white person, (who) would have about a 3," Gohara says.
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Best practices for people with melanated skin
Dr. Lim from the Henry Ford Health System says darker-skinned people don't get sunburned as easily as fair skinned-individuals, so their sunscreen doesn't need to have such a high sun protection factor (SPF) number. He recommends SPF 30 for people with darker complexions and SPF 50 for people with lighter skin tones.
Lim said the natural skin pigmentation – melanin – in dark-skinned people provides "significant protection against skin cancer," so cases of skin cancer are much lower in dark-skinned versus fair-skinned people.
But because dark-skinned people experience pigmentary changes more often than fair-skinned people, industry experts recommend sunscreen with good, broad spectrum protection.
Broad spectrum sunscreen protects against ultraviolet light and decreases the chances of "pigmentary alteration," says Lim.
Most importantly, he says, good skincare is a package deal and sunscreen is just one part of it. Those heading out into the sun should wear not only sunscreen, but wide-brimmed hats, protective clothing and sunglasses.
Application is also important, according to Gohara.
While some brands offer moisturizers with sunscreen in them already, she suggests that folks first apply a regular moisturizer then put sunscreen on top of it, and should do it every day.
"I actually keep my sunscreen right next to my toothbrush in the morning," she says."It reminds me to apply it."
Regardless of whether they are indoors or outdoors, people should use a nickel-sized amount of sunscreen for adequate protection on their faces.
"When you're outside, reapplication every couple hours or after excessive swimming or sweating is what we recommend," she says.
Sunscreen brands for people of color
Whereas previous sunscreens have mostly been chalky, white and not ideal for people of color, the industry has "done a good job at recognizing the long overdue need that everybody should be wearing sunscreen and creating better tones," Gohara says.
One brand she recommends is EltaMD because some of their products contain niacinamide, an active ingredient to bring down acne and inflammation.
Dr. Janiene Luke, residency program director at the Loma Linda University Department of Dermatology in California, says there are different types of sunscreens people of color can choose from. Two of the main types of sunscreen are chemical sunscreens, or physical (mineral) sunscreens.
Physical or mineral sunscreen typically acts like a shield, deflecting or scattering ultraviolet rays, Luke says. Once the mineral sunscreen is applied, it sits on the surface of the skin.
As for chemical: "Chemical sunscreens act like a sponge, absorbing UV rays and converting them to heat which is then released from the skin," Luke says.
She uses both types and offers recommendations for those looking for protection from the sun, including:
"We are susceptible to the effects of the sun," Luke says. "We can get skin cancer, and sometimes it's in areas that really aren't sun-exposed. It's definitely something that we should keep on our radar."
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia and loves all things horror, witches, Christmas and food.
Saleen Martin, [email protected], Twitter: @Saleen_Martin
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dermatologists weigh in on claim that POC don't need sunscreen
