Why do fair skinned people burn

Blahd Jr. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Top of the page. Topic Overview Your skin type affects how easily you sunburn.

Skin types and sunburn Type I Red hair, freckles extremely sensitive You sunburn easily and are not likely to tan. People with dark skin tend to have lots of the melanin pigment that is good at blocking the kind of sunlight that can damage skin, protecting their skin from sunburn.

People with red hair also produce lots of melanin; freckles are actually spots of concentrated melanin! As an example, imagine two people holding umbrellas to give them shade on a sunny day. One person has an umbrella that is brand new and totally protects them from the sunlight by blocking the sun and providing shade. The umbrella of the other person, however, is tattered and has holes in it, so some sunlight still makes its way past the umbrella and hit the person holding it.

As a result, when dark-skinned people are diagnosed with skin cancer, the disease may be in an advanced stage and more difficult to treat. Although fewer people with dark skin actually get skin cancer, the death rate for dark-skinned people with skin cancer is higher than for light-skinned people who technically are at greater risk of developing skin cancer. Increasing awareness of the importance of sunscreen and routine skin checks for people of all skin types is an important part of skin cancer prevention.

The burn may not be as obvious on dark skin, but this does not mean it is harmless. It is important for everyone to take preventative measures against sunburn and skin cancer. No one should consider themselves immune to sunburns and skin cancer! The burning facts.

United States Environmental Protection Agency website. Published September Accessed August 16, Dark skin does not block cancer. BBC News. Published July Facts about sunscreens. American Academy of Dermatology website. Sun protection behaviors among African Americans.

Ethn Dis. Harper A. Skin cancer rare—but more deadly—in people with darker skin. University of Cincinnati website. The Nemours Foundation website. Updated August Accessed November 17, Sunscreen FAQs.

Accessed October 20,