Women of All Skin Color Need to Protect Their Skin From Sun Damage

Recently I recommended the use of a moisturizer with sunscreen to one of my skin care customers, who is an African American, and she responded that she did not like products with sunscreen as she felt they caused a darkening of her skin tone.

In my over 10 years of providing skin care I've found that many people of different races have an aversion to sunscreen  for various reasons.  Some of my Caucasian customers do not like sunscreen, especially on their face, because they say it makes them feel oily, while others say they do not like the 'sticky' feel.

Regardless of the reason, real of imagined, it is important to wear sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15, as it helps to protect your skin from the damaging UVA rays that contributes to early aging of the skin, and UVB rays that burn the outer layer of the skin.

As a dark complexioned woman myself, I am very concerned about many women of color who resist using sunscreen because they feel they do not need it.  This is in line with the results of a recent study which revealed that 63% of African Americans never use sunscreen.

Keep in mind that while melanoma, which is a dangerous form of skin cancer, is more common among Caucasians, there are studies which show that the survival rate for African Americans is lower, perhaps because of the timing of the diagnosis.  It would appear that by the time it's diagnosed, it is too late.

It's obviously going to be a very hot summer.  Everyone should make sure to apply sunscreen liberally and repeat every two hours, especially when outdoors.

What is your opinion on the value of sunscreen?  Please share your thoughts.