There is a widespread belief - backed by scientific evidence - that black and Hispanic individuals have natural, "built-in" sun protection. But that doesn't mean they are immune to sun damage. Just ask two-time cancer survivor Beth Onines.
"A lot of people think that because I'm Mexican I wouldn't get skin cancer, but I've had melanoma twice," says the 55-year-old Lake Zurich, Ill., resident, who is an avid runner and a reformed tanning bed user.
Overexposure to ultraviolet light from sun rays or tanning beds may cause skin cells called melanocytes to grow abnormally and develop into melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.
A change in the size, shape or color of an existing mole often is the first sign of melanoma, but it can also appear on the body as a new growth or lesion that won't heal.
Although studies show that dark skin acts as a natural sunscreen approximating SPF 13, and though Caucasians account for the vast majority of skin cancer diagnoses in the United States, to be on the safe side, Dr. Brook Jackson, founder of the Skin Wellness Center of Chicago, suggests that African Americans, Hispanics and others with darker skin take the same precautions as fair-skinned individuals to guard against the sun's harmful rays: Apply 15 to 30 SPF sun screen - which most moisturizers provide - for everyday use, and boost the strength to SPF 45 or higher and reapply every two hours when engaging in outdoor activities such as running, swimming, golfing, gardening or watching a ballgame.
Jackson emphasizes that the link between sun exposure and skin cancer is far less clear cut among brown-skinned individuals. In fact, unlike Caucasians, African Americans are more likely to develop melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma - another type of skin cancer - on areas of the body that aren't sun-exposed.
"Many people think that skin cancer doesn't happen where the sun doesn't shine, so they don't look for it," she says. "Earlier diagnosis translates to a better prognosis. So know what's on your body, and if something looks different or suspicious, see a doctor."
Onines, who lost an uncle and a running buddy to skin cancer, discovered her first melanoma eight years ago on her leg while applying lotion. Less than a year later, she found another cancerous growth on her torso. Both were surgically removed. She has since received several treatments for precancerous skin lesions on her nose and cheeks.
"Since all this happened, I've been a big promoter of making sure everyone in my running group, regardless of race or ethnicity, wears hats and sunscreen," she says.
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