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I was at a Girl Scout training the other day and we were all talking about sunblock. A co-worker of mine and fellow scout leader yells across the room, “Hey Mandy you only have to worry about putting sunblock on 50% of your kids!”. I was caught a bit off gaurd. I know she didn’t mean to put me on the spot, but I wasn’t expecting it! The nurse in me answered with, “Actually melanomas are more deadly in darker skinned people.” Sometimes I wish I could have snappy come backs, but I normally don’t and educate instead of being sarcastic.
It did hit me later though, that a fellow nurse didn’t realize that people with darker skin still have to use sunblock and need protection from the sun’s rays. I thought I would write a few facts on sun damage prevention other parents like me who are having to learn things and do things differently we are used to.
First I will link you to an article that is pretty official and has numbers and big medical words on this subject! This is for the medical people like me who like mumbo-jumbo. Basically, blacks and hispanics have less cases of skin cancers, but when they are diagnosed the cancers are in later stages and seem more agressive. This is thought to be because of late diagnosis. Since many people think darker people cannot get skin cancer they don’t find it as quickly. Also sun protection may not be as stressed as it is in fair skinned kids and adults.
The more melanin in the skin the darker you are. Melanin does offer skin protection, but we cannot count on it to offer total protection. While Mita and Enu didn’t “pink” in the sun, I still made sure they had sunblock on when in direct sunlight from the hours 10am-3pm, when the sun is at it’s hottest.
Of course there always is the other side of the coin! As humans we get vitamin D from the sun, not just food. If we block out ALL of the sun’s rayes from our skin we will not have enough Vitamin D in our bodies. The darker the skin, the more time it takes to get your dalily dose of Vitamin D. Recent studies have indicated that most American adults are vitamin D deficiant. These deficiancies can lead to health problems like ricketts, depression and other problems.
In the winter time, when we get very little sun light in Ohio, I even give my girls Vitamin D chewys. I think I will write more about Vitamin D when it gets winter time again.
Do you have any ideas on keeping your kid’s skin healthy in the sun? Please share, as we all are learning and want what is best for our kids.
When the sun’s really bright (midday), I make sure Josh is covered with a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Other times of the day I’m a little more lax about it. I rarely use sunscreen when it’s not summer. I know you should, I just haven’t been able to get in that habit yet!
Just wanted to shout from the rooftops that adoption is the most beautiful journey that our family has embarked on, giving birth through the heart makes the love grow with every heartbeat!!!!!!