You need to stay safe in ever-present summer light, here's your need-to-know guide
Although melanin may be magical, one of the most common misinformations is that darker complexions don't need sunscreen. Overexposing the skin without protection can lead to burns and hyperpigmentation. According to Dija Ayodele, skincare expert and aesthetician, "melanin protects the skin with an average natural SPF of 13, this is not enough to rule out sun protection altogether, and a broad spectrum of SPF is recommended.”
As a person with coloured skin, I never really paid any attention to the need to use sun protection due to the poor messaging regarding the sun's effect on melanin-rich skin. The risk of exposing myself to the sun in harmful ways was easy, resulting in fluid-filled blisters and scars, yet nothing caught my attention on how to use SPF products due to the lack of coloured representation in the media. Today I know better, and using SPF is part of my daily ritual. I'm always on the lookout for nourishing and non-toxic products.
How does having melanin-rich skin relate to sun protection?
Melanin protects the skin from the sun's UVA and UVB rays. Melanin-rich skin tans with the sunlight in order to produce more melanin until it darkens to augment the protection. This, however, is no justification or wild card against using sun protection, as melanin alone is not enough to protect our skin from sun damage.
UVA rays are the ones that reach the longest and penetrate deep into the dermis, breaking down collagen in the skin, reducing its elasticity and leading to premature ageing. We associate summer and days spent on the beach with using sun protection, but with UVA rays, you need sunscreen all year round. They reach through glass and clouds, and in the Nordics, we need to take into consideration that we are closer to the poles with a higher concentration of UVA rays, and sun reflecting on snow. All these factors will intensify the damage.
On the other side, UVB rays reach the bottom of the epidermis and are primarily responsible for burning the skin, which can lead to the development of skin cancers like melanoma. A burn to the skin can be challenging to detect for a person with a darker complexion. Once the skin is damaged, it can't be reversed, so choosing the best and most effective protection is essential.
Photo: Carolina Ahrenkiel
When selecting a sunscreen, black and brown skin can use available suncare for all complexions. Just be aware that some ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can cause the dreaded white cast and leave the skin looking greyish.
With this in mind, Kajsa Regnér and Sigrid Osvald founded Gun Ana, a Stockholm-born brand that created products both useful and inclusive for everyone to wear. As the awareness of skin health and the use of SPF is increasing, we felt the need to investigate whether there was a gap in the market for a new, modern, multipurpose SPF product,” mentions Osvald. Together with cosmetic chemist Maria Lund, they created a multipurpose product with active ingredients using scents such as cucumber and mint for added freshness. One of their hero products being their mist, which has a high UVA and UVB protection and added benefits such as vitamin E and antioxidants that help keep your skin protected and nourished.
Now, at the end of the day, the best protection from the sun is to not expose yourself during its most potent hours. Also, one could consider adding accessories that double as protection to one’s summer pizzaz, such as hats or parasols. What’s most important is to take care of one’s skin and make sure that even in the height of summer, sun protection is always top of our minds.