Do you have dark-colored skin and that’s why you don’t bother owning a bottle of sunscreen because you think you are safe from the damaging effects of the sun? You must definitely read on! This article will tell you the reason why you should still generously apply sunscreen even though you have a perpetual tan.
After checking out this article, kindly repost on your various social media sites to let your family and friends with dark skin know why the use of sunscreen is a must!
Melanin — it’s the one that serves as the foundation of this topic. Melanin is a type of pigment that is responsible for the dark coloration of your skin. People of color have more melanin in their skin, while those with fair complexion have very little of this dark-colored skin pigment.
What’s so wonderful about melanin other than the fact that it gives your skin a gorgeous color is it provides protection from the harmful UV rays given off by the sun. So in other words, it is like nature’s very own sunscreen. The more melanin you have, the more protection you have against those UV rays.
However, this does not mean that having lots and lots of melanin in your skin is something that completely exempts you from the various dangers of too much UV rays, from premature aging signs to skin cancer.
Although it’s true that melanin offers some form of sun protection, it still permits certain types of UV rays (yes, there are different types of them) to penetrate the skin. In other words, your dark-colored skin that is teeming with melanin is not enough to keep you from the ill effects of getting excessive amounts of UV rays from the sun.
You may not end up as red as people with light-colored skin after spending time under the blistering sun. This does not mean, however, that you are impervious to getting sunburned. Do certain areas of your body feel warm, taut or achy after sitting under the sun for extended periods of time? Well, that’s sunburn.
But getting sunburn is the least of your worries. Did you know that it’s very much possible for skin cancer to strike parts of your body that are less pigmented such as the palms of your hands and soles of your feet, and even the areas right under the fingernails and toenails?
Also, having dark-colored skin does not exempt you from the skin-damaging effects of the sun. While it’s a fact that fine lines and wrinkles due to UV rays can develop faster and more prominently on people with light or fair complexion, individuals like you who sports dark skin can end up with hyperpigmentation quite easily, leaving you with uneven skin tone and dark patches most especially on areas of the body that are not shielded from the sun.
So in a nutshell, everyone regardless of the skin color should apply sunscreen each time he or she is heads out during the day in order to shield the skin from unnecessary exposure to those health- and beauty-wrecking UV rays.
When shopping for sunscreen, opt for something that is clear or sheer so that your dark-colored skin won’t look ashy. Try many different brands and formulations until you find one that allows you to wear sunscreen without making heads turn towards your direction for all the wrong reasons.
