PLAYING SAFE IN THE SUN IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL SKIN TONES
People with darker skin tones may think they have a built in barrier against skin cancer, but according to the Women’s Dermatologic Society, this just isn’t true. African American are more likely to die of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, than Caucasians, even though Caucasians are much more likely to develop the disease. The five-year survival rate for African Americans is 78%, significantly lower than the rate for Caucasians, which is 92%.
The reason for this is simple: the common misconception that protection from the sun is not necessary for those with darker skin tones. As a result, people of color are more likely to wait until the disease has reached an a
