14 DAY TRIAL // Contrary to the common belief that only fair skinned people can be affected by skin cancer, dark skinned people are not at all free of the same type of cancer. Moreover, it was proved that even if black people get skin cancer rather seldom, they are more likely to die or develop complications from it than their fairer counterparts.
Scholars from the Cincinnati University warn dark skinned people to be more cautious with their sun exposure and also draw attention of physicians to look closer and deeper when diagnosing a black individual that presents skin cancer symptoms.
The misconception that black people cannot develop skin cancer has driven many specialists to wrongfully diagnose them. Due to the same misconception, black people do not usually use sunscreens when taking sunbaths as they think they are immune to UV radiation.
"There's a perception that people with darker skin don't have to worry about skin cancer, but that's not true. Minorities do get skin cancer, and because of this false perception most cases aren't diagnosed until they are more advanced and difficult to treat. Unfortunately, that translates into higher mortality rates," lead researcher Dr Hugh Gloster stated.
The melanin is the skin pigment and is responsible for the color of our epidermis. When taking sunbaths the melanin in our inner skin layer gives the tan of the skin - because the melanin changes its color. Therefore, people that have a darker skin have more melanin.
It is true that the extra-melanin offers them higher protection from UV radiation, but this does not mean that they are totally free of risk. Even darker skinned men can get skin cancer, because UVA rays are highly harmful and can penetrate to the deepest layers of the epidermis.
The melanin consists in the melanocyte cells. The melanocyte cells are responsible for the melanoma that causes cancer in people that take frequent and prolonged sunbaths. The cancerous mutations within the skin come from the uncontrollably growing number of melanocyte.
Both UVA and UVB lead to skin cancer, whether it is malignant or benign. In the malignant type of cancer there is a tumor that appears as a consequence of abnormal proliferating skin cells. The cancerous skin tumor is called melanoma. Melanoma begins as a dark skin lesion and may spread rapidly to other areas on the skin and within the body. The non-melanoma skin cancer is not that dangerous for our lives, but it is nevertheless slowly growing within our epidermis.
"Melanomas in people of color almost always arise on the sole of the foot. Other unusual areas would be under the nails and on the palms. And also in the mouth," Dr. Gluster informs. "We need to maintain a high index of suspicion for skin cancer in skin of color. That is why black people should "seek regular full skin exams and also examine themselves, paying particular attention to those areas that we commonly don't consider skin cancers would occur, such as palms, soles, fingers, toes, under the nails and mucosal surfaces like in the mouth and genitalia."