SkinFitnessFacts.com News

Every day during the summer (when the sun is the most intense) you wear sandals, or flip flops, or cute pumps, all of which expose your foot’s delicate skin to the sun’s harmful rays. Because your feet are parallel to the sun these body parts get more sun than most of the rest of your body.

I know you’ve heard it 100 times, but I’m going to tell you again. Wear sun block! And don’t just wear it on your face and shoulders. It’s imperative you protect all areas of your skin; even those you don’t think will get noticed by the sun’s harmful rays, including:

• Your ears
• The top of your head. This is not just for the baldies out there either. Protect your part with some spray sun block.
• In between your fingers and the back of your hands (this is a big one)
• The backs of your legs
• The tops and bottoms of your FEET

Of course hats, protective clothing, and closed toe shoes are a great way to protect your skin, but in the summer that’s just not realistic, especially when it comes to shoes. I mean who wants to wear sneakers or boots when its 90 degrees outside? Not me, which is why I’ve started applying sun block to my feet every morning.

Moles and freckles can be indicators of melanoma. So in addition to wearing sun block, you should frequently check your body for unusual marks. And don’t forget to look at the soles of your feet, in between your toes, the skin under your toe nails, and then of course the skin on the top of your feet just as regularly as you do the rest of your bod.

It is true that people of color—compared to Caucasians— have a natural boost against the sun’s harmful UV rays because of the amount of melanin that lives in dark skin. It’s not true, however, that people of color are not at risk of having sun damaged skin. Sun block is important for all people regardless of skin tone. Many people of color first find evidence of skin cancer in places like the soles of their feet, mouth, and genitals.

Additionally, many women of color suffer from melasma, or discoloration of the skin, too. Although melasma is not deadly, it is discouraging because the dark spots appears on the face, most commonly the forehead and cheeks. Melasma is more common among women of color than Caucasian women.

There is an excellent site by Dr. Susan Taylor called brownskin.net that talks about these issues in more depth. I suggest you check it out to learn about skin conditions, treatments, and issues affecting women of color.