J4

The question

Do I need sunscreen if I don't burn?

What's happening in your skin

Melanin absorbs UV before it reaches the deeper skin, which is why dark skin burns less. It is real protection, roughly an SPF 13. It is also incomplete: UVA passes through, visible light passes through, and both drive pigment. Burning is one kind of damage. Darkening is another, and dark skin is more prone to it.

What the research shows

1. Five times as much UV reaches the upper dermis of white skin as Black skin; Black epidermis has been estimated at about SPF 13.4.

   Kaidbey et al., JAAD 1979 (L046)High · classic

2. Visible light induced darker, longer-lasting pigment in Fitzpatrick IV–VI than UVA did, and none in type II.

   Mahmoud et al., J Invest Dermatol 2010 (L042)High

3. Sun-protection behaviors, especially sunscreen use, are less common among people with skin of color.

   Dermatol Ther 2023 (L053)Moderate

Our answer

You were born with a head start, not a finish line. If you have dark marks or melasma, sunscreen is the single most important thing you can do, indoors near windows included.

ActionSunscreen every morning for 30 days and photograph a mark before and after.

Educational only, and not medical advice. Dr. Kita Skincare products are cosmetics. If a skin concern is persistent or painful, see a doctor.