{"id":19283,"date":"2026-05-07T16:08:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T16:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/?p=19283"},"modified":"2026-05-07T16:08:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T16:08:08","slug":"weve-been-told-we-dont-need-sunscreen-thats-not-the-full-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/weve-been-told-we-dont-need-sunscreen-thats-not-the-full-story\/","title":{"rendered":"We\u2019ve Been Told We Don\u2019t Need Sunscreen. That\u2019s Not the Full Story."},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Dr. Hope Mitchell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Dr. Hope Mitchell. MD<\/strong>
\nThe Truth Contributor<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk about one of the biggest myths I still hear in my dermatology office: \u201cDr. Mitchell, I\u2019m Black. I don\u2019t need sunscreen.\u201d I\u2019ve heard it from teenagers, parents, athletes, and professionals who are otherwise very health-conscious. And I understand where it comes from. This belief has been passed down for generations. But the truth is, we\u2019ve been told an incomplete story.<\/p>\n

Yes, melanin provides some natural protection. Darker skin has a built-in SPF of about 10 to 15, compared to lighter skin, which has much less. But here\u2019s what that means in real life: melanin reduces UV damage. It does not eliminate it. UV rays still penetrate the skin, and over time, they cause cumulative damage that can lead to skin cancer, premature aging, and hyperpigmentation.<\/p>\n

Many people assume sunscreen is only needed if you burn easily. But sun damage is not always visible right away. In darker skin tones, UV exposure often shows up differently. Instead of redness and peeling, we may experience dark spots, uneven tone, worsening melasma, and long-lasting discoloration after acne or irritation. I tell my patients regularly: if you struggle with dark marks, sunscreen is not optional. It\u2019s essential.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s address the elephant in the room: many of us didn\u2019t grow up seeing sunscreen marketed to us. Commercials featured beach-going white families, and most products left a thick gray or purple cast on darker skin tones. That experience alone turned people away. But today, we have far better options: tinted mineral sunscreens, lightweight chemical sunscreens and formulas specifically designed for melanin-rich skin.<\/p>\n

There’s also the misconception that sunscreen is only for summer. UV rays are present year-round, including cloudy days. UVA rays, the ones that cause aging and deeper skin damage, can penetrate windows. If you drive often, sit near windows, or work in bright indoor spaces, you may still be getting exposure.<\/p>\n

So what sunscreen should you use? I recommend a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. Broad-spectrum means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Apply it every morning to your face, neck, and ears, even if you\u2019re not going outside for long. If you\u2019ll be outdoors longer, reapply every two hours. Don\u2019t forget your hands. Many people have youthful faces and sun-damaged hands because they never thought to protect them.<\/p>\n

Parents, pay attention to this part. Children who spend long hours in the sun at sports practices or summer camps accumulate UV damage early. Sun exposure in childhood can influence skin cancer risk later in life. Sunscreen should be a habit we teach alongside brushing teeth.<\/p>\n

Sunscreen isn\u2019t about fear. It\u2019s about protection and prevention. It\u2019s about keeping your skin healthy and strong. It\u2019s about preserving the beauty of melanin, not assuming it\u2019s invincible.<\/p>\n

Dr. Hope Mitchell<\/p>\n

Board Certified Dermatologist with Over 25 Years of Experience!<\/p>\n

419.872.HOPE<\/p>\n

MitchellDermatology.com<\/p>\n

815 Commerce Drive | Perrysburg<\/p>\n

Healthy Skin Begins with HOPE!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Dr. Hope Mitchell. MD The Truth Contributor Let\u2019s talk about one of the biggest myths I still hear in my dermatology office: \u201cDr. Mitchell, I\u2019m Black. I don\u2019t need sunscreen.\u201d I\u2019ve heard it from teenagers, parents, athletes, and professionals who are otherwise very health-conscious. And I understand where it comes from. This belief has […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[346],"class_list":["post-19283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19283"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19284,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19283\/revisions\/19284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19283"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=19283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}