Most people fail to realize that skin cancer may affect people of all different shades, including people of color. Since it may look different in people who have darker skin tones, treating and recognizing skin cancer earlier is the key.
Here are things you should know about the signs to look out for to protect yourself.
How Common is Skin Cancer in People of Color?
Skin cancer is one of the most common in the US; however, it affects races differently. It makes up as much as:
- 2% of all cancers in Black people
- 4% of all cancers in Asian people
- 5% of all cancers in Hispanic people
- 45% of all cancers in While people
Skin cancer is turning into more and more commonly diagnosed in white people. However, in Black people’s case, the skin cancer rate seems low. On the other hand, during skin cancer diagnosis in people of color, the tumor is often more advanced, bigger, and deadlier.
Reasons for Low Skin Cancer Rate in People of Color
Skin pigmentation provides some protection from cancer. It may partially explain the lower rate of skin cancer among people of this color. However, a lack of awareness among patients and providers may lead to missed or delayed diagnoses.
Early diagnosis is of the critical elements during the treatment of skin cancer. Before diving into details, you should understand that one of the most helpful things about skin cancer is that you can see it. If you find a cancerous spot before it starts to spread, destruction or surgical removal may help to cure it. In case regardless of skin color, all people must learn to recognize what skin cancer looks like across different skin tones.
Common types of skin cancer that affect People of Color
If you look under the microscope, your skin cells have an organization in layers like a layered cake. Squamous cells are on the top and basal remains at the bottom. The cells that make pigment are melanocytes which are at the bottom layer between basal cells.
Skin cancer happens when one of the cell types grows out of control.
Here we will look at the three main kinds of skin cancer and how it affects people of color.
Basal cell carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is one of the least dangerous skin cancer forms. It is one of the most common kinds of skin cancer in:
- Japanese Asians
- Chinese Asians
- Hispanic Asians
- White people
It usually occurs on the skin often exposed to the sun, like the back, shoulders, or head. While BCCs rarely ever spread, they may cause damage to the surrounding tissues.
Squamous cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are more aggressive than the BCCs but not as dangerous as melanomas. SCC is one of the most common kinds of skin cancer in South Asian and Black people. The type of cancer in people of color possesses a high chance of turning deadly and aggressive compared to those with light skin.
Malignant Melanoma
Malignant Melanoma, or MM, is among the most dangerous kinds of skin cancer in people of all races. It is also the least common in people. Surgery alone may cure most malignant melanomas if you find it early enough. If cancer spreads, treatment ought to get more complicated. It may require medications or surgery through blood like immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or chemotherapy.
Risk factors for Skin Cancer in People of Color
MMs are quite common in people with lighter skin than people of color. A major risk factor for MMs in white people is sun exposure.
If you have a darker skin tone, you may still get skin cancer from UV rays, even without sunburn. In addition, darker skin is likely to give you a false sense of security. While the skin pigment melanin doesn’t protect you to a specific degree, there is nothing like a safe tan.
Sun exposure is one of the major reasons for BCC’s in all races. Tanning is how skin responds to injury from harmful UV radiation. However, darker skin that tans don’t make you immune to skin cancer.
SSCs are one of the common skin cancer types for people with dark skin. The major risk factor for SCCs in this population is scarring due to the cause of skin inflammation. It may result in the conditions like:
- Trauma
- Radiation
- Ulcers
- Burns
- Lupus of the skin
If you suffer from scars, keeping an eye on them is crucial. For example, it would help if you watched for sores, growing bumps, or new discoloration that doesn’t heal around or in those bumps.
Prevent Skin Cancer if you have dark skin
The best way to prevent skin cancer even though the skin complexion is to protect it from the sun. UV rays that the sun emits tend to damage all skin types. Therefore, it is essential to enjoy the sun in moderation and protect yourself from it. In addition, you should avoid sitting outside too long, especially during the daytime. You can also get discounts on skin cancer prescriptions through free pharmacy discount card.
If you want to ensure maximum protection, look for these three things when you choose sunscreen:
- SPF 30 or higher
- Broad spectrum (i.e., protection against UVB and UVA)
- Water resistance
It would help if you always remembered to apply sunscreen to your skin 20 minutes before you go outside.
Should People of Color Check Skin for Skin Cancer?
It is a great idea for everyone, including people of color, to learn how to check the skin for potential cancer growth. A self-examination for skin cancer includes a full body screening of your skin that you should do for yourself. You will require a full-length or a hand mirror to check the skin from head to toe.
People of color need to pay special attention to hard-to-see areas like:
- Inside your mouth
- Within your nails
- Your groin and buttocks
- The bottom of your feet between your toes
When you conduct a self-exam, you want to look for anything abnormal on your skin. It includes:
- Discoloration in nails
- Uneven, thick, or dark lines in nails
- Sores, scabs, or wounds that don’t heal
- Dark spots or moles that change over time
- Spots that are bleeding, itching, or new and growing
Conclusion
You can cure almost all skin cancers if you get good treatment. But as skin cancer looks different in the people of color, it usually goes unnoticed. So if you have dark skin, it is essential to understand how skin cancer may look across different skin tones, and it may help you detect it and get the treatment sooner and not later. If you want a discount on the medications, you can always download Rx discount card anytime you want.
