“Black people don’t need to wear sun-protection right?!”
This is definitely that I had believed until recently. I remember going on holiday and buying any SPF 30-50 sunscreen I could find, not to protect my skin from some of the harmful rays of the sun but to stop my face from getting darker, I wanted to come back from holiday and not be subjected to my foundation now turning into a highlighter! It has only been in recent months that I have begun to be exposed to the real truths about black skin and sun damage.
Let’s start by discussing the differences between caucasian skin and black skin varying from the lightest to the darkest of skin tones. The difference is only in the cells which actually produce our skins pigmentation- also known as melanin. The distribution of melanin is what varies in skin tones. More melanin accounts for the darkened skin tones. The extra melanin in black skin offers a better natural defence against the sun but this does not mean total defence. Research has shown that the maximum amount of protection black skin provides does not exceed 20 minutes and that sun over-exposure causes problems such as dryness and dark spots which can lead to long term ski damage. In fact many of the skin issues we face, such as uneven skin tone, hyper-pigmentation and slower healing time (particularly for scars) is primarily a result of sun damage. Even though it takes longer and for visible damage to occur on darker skin, sun damage is always greater on skin that’s exposed to sun than skin that’s properly protected no matter what you skin colour is.
As someone who lives in London we do not get intense heat all year around however, we forget that it’s the sun that actually provides light so essentially we are exposed to the sun and its harmful rays every day. I remember reading somewhere that as long as you have windows with direct sunlight coming through you need to have sun protection, therefore sun protection should be a part of your everyday routine, especially your face. Now this might seem a bit extreme but when you actually look at the science behind it, it makes sense. The sun’s radiation includes ultraviolet rays. UVA and UVB which both cause damage to our skin UVA rays penetrate deeper into the dermis, the skin's thickest and deepest layer. This is what leads to premature skin aging and wrinkling, and suppression of the immune system. UVB rays will usually burn the more surface areas of our skin. It plays a key role in the development of keloidal, melanoma and even sun cancer. Even when it’s cold or cloudy up to 40% of the suns radiation reaches the earth. This misperception often leads to the most damage, therefore good sun protection needs to be worn all year round- come rain or shine. Adverse environmental effects also means that it’s not good news for our skin; the atmospheres ozone layer which shields the earth from a lot of the UV radiation from the sun is starting to deplete causing more of the radiation to reach us here on earth. Popular chemical resurfacing treatments also leave the skin more prone to the harmful effects of the sun!
The great news is there is lots of protection available out there and brown skin friendly products are increasing becoming available, just be educated and know what to look out for Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is a measurement of how well a sunscreen will protect skin from UVB rays. If your skin would normally burn after 10 minutes in the sun, for example, wearing an SPF 15 sunscreen would theoretically allow you to stay in the sun for 150 minutes (10 x 15) without burning. This is a rough estimate, however, and your own skin, the type of activity you do in the sun (i.e. one involving water or sweat), and the intensity of sunlight may give you more or less safety. Also make sure that you are getting products that protect from both UVA and UVB radiation. Avoid ones that contain lots of zinc or titanium oxide that make the formulations bright white, leaving the skin looking blue/grey.
Overall I have realised that sun protection needs to be an essential part of my daily skin routine to protect and nourish my skin especially in this day and age where our is exposed to a lot more radiation and the effects of chemical based products! Some may say that this is all a bit too much and that our ancestors, grandmas and grandpas have done fine without it. I say yes that’s true but I ancestors also lived without many of the things that we have access to now. If you have access to it I say use it and remember prevention is ALWAYS better than cure.
Here are some great choices for black skin:
XO Verified Beauty
Note: I have no affiliates with any of the above brands
Image credits: Guardian Images
