As hard as it is to envision Jay Z slathering SPF 50 on his back before he and Beyonce go on their widely publicized beach vacations, I hope he does, for his sake. I grew up thinking that black skin was impervious to UV rays and that we, unlike whites, didn’t have to worry about sun damage. But why would I think differently? I’ve never seen a sunscreen commercial or ad or skin cancer pamphlet with a black face on it.
I learned my lesson the hard way when I got burned by the Jamaican sun a few years back and the skin on my shoulders started peeling off in ribbons. Not a good look. It is true that whites are more likely to get skin cancer, but, surprise surprise, blacks and Hispanics are more likely to die from it when we do get it. Readers, if Stereohyped has taught you anything, it should be that if there is a disease out there, we’re not the ones who are surviving it.
So, now that the sun is shining here on east coast (you west siders should be practicing safe-skin year round), it’s good to have a bottle laying around. Tia Williams, author of It Chicks and Shake Your Beauty, says that, although any drug store brand such as Coppertone or Neutrogena will do, sensitive skin sufferers or product junkies should try Apitiva Propoline Face & Body Milk, $23, or Keihl’s Vital Sun Protection Lotion, $18.50. And for extra protection, look for everyday facial moisturizers and lip balms with a bit of SPF protection in them.
oh no. better get some $12 neutrogena with heliopex. blocks uva and uvb rays. i’ve been using sunblock since i saw a 24 yr old black woman who barely went out in the sun have melanoma, AND she was my medium mocha coloring. put it on the top of your feet too.
question though: all the spf i put on my face makes me break out. do you know why? and what i can use to fix this? i’ve tried 4 different neutrogena creams, the regular oil of olay beauty cream w/ spf and the regenerist that takes away dark spots. all massive breakouts.
….and I laughed and I laughed. Why are we the highest risk for every disease made or discovered?
Uhhh….b/c we have less health insurance, and less money in general, so we don’t go to the doctor as frequently as whites and asians? Don’t even get me started on our diet. Case closed.
I think in this instance it’s the myth that black skin doesn’t burn/tan/etc.–I remember years ago standing in the market with my sister buying sunscreen, and a black man passed by us shaking his head and cracking up, which was especially foolish because my sister is very, very fair. Just ignorant.
Ideally, everyone should wear some sunscreen all the time, regardless of skin tone or geographic locality. Non-visible solar radiation doesn’t give a shit about those sorts of things, and it’s only going to get worse.
Should have bought some fresh aloe from the jamaican man… :0)
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