Sun protection for melanin-rich skin
"Just because you have more melanin doesn't mean you don't need sunscreen," says Dr. Lisa Shen, a dermatologist at Boston Medical Center.
Why it still matters
Melanin absorbs UV very efficiently, but darker skin can still burn and is still prone to sun damage such as hyperpigmentation, age spots and wrinkles. Melanoma in people of colour is often not caught until a later stage, partly because of the belief that darker skin cannot develop skin cancer.
What to use
| Advice | Detail |
|---|---|
| Strength | broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher |
| Reapply | every two hours, and more often after swimming or sweating |
| White cast | mineral (zinc oxide / titanium dioxide) sunscreens can leave a visible white cast on darker skin; tinted formulas avoid it |
Brands named for tinted or white-cast-free formulas in the Boston University piece include Black Girl Sunscreen, Fenty Beauty, Melé, Ilia Beauty and bareMinerals.
General information only. For a mole or spot that changes, see a dermatologist.
Sources
- Sun Protection Tips for Those with Black and Brown Skin, Boston University, 29 July 2022 (with Dr. Lisa Shen, Boston Medical Center)
- Melanin, Wikipedia