Breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer -- the list of cancers that disproportionately affect African Americans is long and scary. Skin cancer, usually associated with people with fair skin, is not on that list. In fact, many blacks believe that the pigmentation in their skin protects them from this particular form of the disease. It's true that dark skin provides some protection from UV rays and that blacks are less likely to get skin cancer than others, but it is dangerous -- and potentially deadly -- to assume that because you have dark skin you are immune.
"Pigmentation doesn't give you a free pass," Dr. Charles E. Crutchfield III, a dermatologist with African American skin cancer patients, told CNN recently. "It doesn't matter what color your skin is, everyone can get skin cancer."
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Studies show that when blacks do get skin cancer, it is often discovered at a later stage and is more deadly. Musician Bob Marley, for instance, died of malignant melanoma, an aggressive skin cancer that spread to his organs.
Sunscreen is the first layer of defense against the sun's dangerous rays, but a Consumer Reports poll shows that while 67 percent of people identifying themselves as light-skinned wear sunscreen, only 27 percent of dark-skinned people do. Experts recommend that everyone, regardless of skin color, protect themselves with SPF 15 sunscreen.
For black people with skin cancer, melanoma will usually appear in places where there is less pigmentation, like the palms of the hands, bottoms of the feet, under nails and on the genitals, but it may look different based on skin tone. The best way to be safe is to get any suspicious growths or moles checked out, just as you would a lump in your breast. It may be less likely that you'll have skin cancer, but no one is immune.
Comments: (10)
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By: Pointman on 6/05/2009 10:26AM
Bob Marley???.. that's a good reference... since he had a white father...
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By: Ed on 6/05/2009 4:59PM
Yea, plus Bib Marley was light skin! Plus he smoked! This report is stupid! Trying to make us all equal when it's obvious dark skin people are indeed more safer. They need to stop hating dark skin. It's the best tone to be.
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By: News and Other on 6/06/2009 2:56PM
I don't think Bob Marley's parentage would be a large factor here. The article was about dark skin pimentaton and skin cancer, and even if Marley was 3/4 white and still had dark skin, that might be a factor. Genetics has more to do with how a person comes out than parentage. But ALL people should protect their skin, especially with the depletion of the ozone layer that protects all of us from ultraviolet rays.
Lynn in New Orleans, LA.
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By: Hattie on 6/06/2009 11:18AM
I had a scare last year when a growth was discovered on one of my ears. I had it removed and it was benign. I never thought about the ear.
Hattie
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By: greasedog on 6/06/2009 7:50AM
Point of fact: Bob Marley died after an untreated rusty nail injury to his foot. The untreated injury progressed to cancer which then spread to his other organs including his lungs and brain. His cancer had nothing to do with exposure to UV rays. This clarification is not meant to argue against the idea of blacks contracting skin cancer. That argument may have merit. Just don't use falsehoods to make the point. It retards credibility.
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By: April Sandquist on 6/06/2009 1:29AM
Well, I think that the reference of Bob Marley is a great example of people of colour not taking care of themselves. However, we are people with the odds stacked against them for a lot of health issues and we should take better care of ourselves...no matter what disease is referenced too. This article is listing only cancers that affect the black community and it doesnt speak on diabetes, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and the list goes on and on...this is what truly concerns me. I am a nurse and see people of all colours coming into the hospital just not taking care of themselves. Example...the young black woman that did not want to take high blood pressure meds and had a massive stroke at age 45, or the young black man that would not stop eating fatty foods to only have a heart attack at 34 and on life support. And that list goes on and on as well. Some of us take for granted the art of taking care of ourselves and think that we are protected because a lot of diseases dont effect us because it is unusual for our people to get it...but...sickle cell is a "black" disease, but I have cared for white kids with the disease and they are not black for decades of generations. Diseases are not just single raced...I just dont believe this as fact. Diseases are people lovers and anyone can get anything out there. HIV/AIDS is one just for fact. I feel that we all should take better care of ourselves and not pay attention to what disease hit what race and this race and that race are not going to become ill cuz only a very small percentage will get a race oriented specific disease. We are all mixed with other races here in the USA, so we all have potential of having something along the way...black white jew or gentile. Take care of yourselves people and your children too. Make better choices for food. Instead of ordering that Big Mac or Whopper with fries and a drink, make something at home that is full of great things and excercise as a family. We suffer in our health because we dont take better care of our health. The one thing that God gave us and we take for granted and not even pay attention. PEACE and GREAT HEALTH TO YOU ALL....no matter what race you are from.
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By: KEEP IT 100 on 6/06/2009 9:55AM
MY AUNT IS DARK SKINNED AND SHE HAD SKIN CANCER WE WERE SHOCKED WHEN SHE TOLD US SHE HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH IT .
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By: PHILPOTT, L. HORTENSE on 6/06/2009 5:48AM
RIGHT ON APRIL. THANKS FOR THE INSIGHT.
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By: mary on 6/06/2009 11:03PM
What do blacks getting skin cancer have to do with a late term abortion doctor?
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By: an--pu on 6/10/2009 3:39PM
well for one if everybody had a stricker diet n stop thinking so-called 'soul food'(i.e.fried chicken,pork chops,steak,mac&cheese)is good for you then we wouldn't be plague with dis-ease like colon,lung,skin,and prostate cancer.Plus,besides poor diet sum doctors say high colesterol n blood pressure is link to vitamin D deficiency which could only be obtain from plants or sunlight.
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