Cancer doesn’t care what color your skin is, but there is a perception that black people don’t need sunscreen as much as our Caucasian counterparts do. Not true at all. The melanin in our skin provides some protection from the sun’s UV rays, but smart bellas should use sunscreen every day to protect against melanoma.
Skin cancer is often diagnosed late for people of color, which can make treatment difficult. Click here to educate yourself.
Fitness Magazine is interested in doing a story about the fact that skin cancer affects women all shades of beautiful. Yesterday I was contacted by Holly, a senior editor who asked me to post a request on behalf of the magazine. She’s working on a story, and is looking for Afrobella readers.
So without further ado, here’s Holly — “I’d love to locate a black woman who has had skin cancer who would like to share her story and be photographed for the magazine. The only catch is that the woman would have to be in the New York area (CT/NJ/PA) as so she could get to the photo shoot which is scheduled for next week. Age does not matter in the least. You can have potential candidates send me their name, age, location, summary of their skin cancer story, and a photo (not for publication) to me at holly.pevzner@meredith.com.”
So are you a skin cancer survivor? Would you like to share your story, educate readers, and be featured in Fitness magazine? Holla at Holly, and let me know if this works out for you! I sure hope it does. I’d love to also feature you on Afrobella, so drop me an e mail at bella@afrobella.com.
I have another shot at fame for you bellas coming up this week. Stay tuned! And I know, I know — I made a promise yesterday. Afrobella of the Month will be posted by the end of today. For real.
Bella, this is such an important topic. So many of us do not realize that yes, we can get deadly forms of skin cancer, too. I am a believer in sunscreen. I just wanted to mention that Bob Marley died from metastatic melanoma at age 36, so yes, it does happen. I am not a skin cancer survivor, but I want to thank you for bringing this issue to your blog.
A few years agom I read a pathlet(or may book) which talked about how skin cancer affects darker skin. It disscussed the likelyhood of developing skin cancer accoeding to skin color(by shade). It said that someone of Alec Wek’s complection is very very unlikly to develop skin cancer.
While, I think that skin cancer is an important issue for all blk people, I think there also needs an enphases placed on the fact that if you have fair skin(weather blk or white) you are at an increased risk for skin cancer.
Wow Bella. It seems that so many times when I am pondering an issue in my life, you happen to bring it up here. Birth control, transitioning hair, natural hair in the workplace, etc., and now this. This is a bit of a sidenote from the extremely urgent issue of Cancer. However, like many other brown skinned women, I never thought it was important to use sunscreen. However, recently I have noticed that my Vitiligo (aka Michael Jackson disease) looks like it has begun to effect my face after many years of being stagnant on the right side of my upper body. I started to do some research on possible preventitive measures. And I found out how crucial it is for people with this condition to use sunscreen. So all of these years I have been basking in the sun without a care, I could have been preventing this spread from happening. So ladies, I say this to say, “black don’t crack” but that doesn’t mean that special care isn’t neccessary for our skin. There are so many reasons why sunscreen is a must. Better safe than sorry!
Wow, thank you for this Afrobella. I have a strange scabby thing on my arm that I’ve been ignoring for a bit, but reading this really prompted me to make an appt.with my doctor (silly, I know). It’s probably nothing, but I’d rather be safe than sorry…Thanks again!
I agree.
So many dark skin beauties think that skin cancer it not something they need to be concerned with…but as you’ve said, they sun turns a blind eye to skin colour.
The sun will cast it’s harmful rays to everyone…equally!
The only way to be safe is to stay out of the sun!
Gisele
I’m not a skin cancer survivor, but I do understand the importance of using sunscreen as well as protective clothing while in the sun especially from growing up in the Southeast. I use sunscreen everyday even when it’s cloudy which is more of the case in the Pacific Norhtwest. Skin cancer doesn’t discriminate so I’m not taking any chances. On a beauty note, sunscreen is important to use to keep those skin discolorations from returning. I agree with Gisele B about the best protection is avoiding the sun, but please protect yourself when you do have to head outdoors. Peace and Love Bellas.
This is very true….bella i am afican american/ cuban american. my skin is fair(even more in the winter time) and when i was 16 i decided that i didnt like my skin color because i was too “light” for the typical black person. so i started going tanning and i liked it because i felt more comfortable with myself. My mother told me constantly that i needed to becareful of the tanning salons because i could get skin cancer. but i didn’t listen to her. i constinued going… but after reading this article i am very aware and pretty sure i am going to stay out of the tanning salons.
This is very true….bella i am african american/ cuban american. my skin is fair(even more in the winter time) and when i was 16 i decided that i didnt like my skin color because i was too “light” for the typical black person. so i started going tanning and i liked it because i felt more comfortable with myself. My mother told me constantly that i needed to becareful of the tanning salons because i could get skin cancer. but i didn’t listen to her. i continued going… but after reading this article i am very aware and pretty sure i am going to stay out of the tanning salons.
bourhis isabelle frenche black model available i am is in nyc me heigt5.11 waist22.65 bust34.85hips34.85 thank you.
Wow that was strange. I just wrote an really long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear.
Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just
wanted to say great blog!