Hello! My name is April and I'm 15. I LOVE to lay out in the sun.....and get a nice golden tan! I'm naturally dark so I don't burn often at all! I wear an spf of 6 and that usually does me good. I was just wondering if people that are darker are at less risk of developing melenoma skin cancer then people with more fair skin, if this is not true what should I do to prevent myself from developing it ??


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April218782

Darker people are less prone to developing skin cancer, but not exempt. Even African Americans can get it. The dermatologists always recommend a higher SPF. Be very careful about wrinkles. I've known plenty of sunbathers that grew up wishing they hadn't. A dark golden tan is pretty, damaged skin isn't. Protect it all you can while you're young.

Hi April,

I hate to sound like a mom, but I am 30 and when I was your age tanning was the only thing I cared about during the summer. And now I am paying the price--a huge price. Every time I go to the dermatologist, I have to get a few moles biopsied because they are pre-cancerous. It stinks because I am now covered in scars. I always wear long sleeves and pants to hide my scars. I wouldn't listen to anyone about wrinkles and cancer. I was young and didn't want to hear it. I TOTALLY regret it now. April, you MUST wear spf 15 sunscreen everyday of your life for the rest of your life. And it must contain titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or avobenzone in it to do you any good. I hope you take this advice to heart. I know it's not fun to hear, but with the huge hole in the ozone layer, we really have no choice but to live a life with hats and sunscreen. Our skin cannot deal with the uva/uvb radiation from the sun.

Be well,
Kitty