You should wear sunscreen even if you have darker skin. Here's why
People with darker skin still need to wear sunscreen — for more reasons than one.
Too much ultraviolet exposure from the sun can lead to sunburn, dark spots and wrinkles, and increased risk of skin cancer.
The melanin in darker skin offers some extra protection from the sun, but dermatologists say that isn't enough on its own.
"Everyone needs sunscreen. But the reasons that one might be reaching for sunscreen may differ depending on your skin tone,' said Dr. Jenna Lester, who founded the Skin of Color Clinic at the University of California, San Francisco.
White people are overall more likely to get skin cancer compared to Black and Hispanic people. But Black and Hispanic people are less likely to survive the most dangerous kind of skin cancer called melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society.
Black patients more commonly get melanoma on their hands and feet — places that are more shielded from the sun. Still, sunscreen is an additional protective layer that helps prevent a host of other problems including sunburns, hyperpigmentation after acne, rosacea and dark patches on the face.
Dr. Oyetewa Asempa at Baylor College of Medicine often reminds her darker-skinned patients: 'All of the problems that you're coming to see me for are caused or worsened by the sun.'
To stay safe in the sun, it's important to grab sunscreen with a sun protection factor or SPF of at least 30 and reapply every two hours. People headed for the pool or beach should put on sunscreen beforehand, remembering to reapply liberally and after getting out of the water.
Most people don't wear enough sunscreen when they apply, Lester said. Make sure to put two long fingers' worth on the face and a hefty blob for the body.
Look for chemical-based sunscreens to avoid ashy white cast. Two key ingredients in mineral-based products — zinc oxide and titanium oxide — are the culprits for that pesky discoloration on dark skin.
Tinted sunscreens contain pigments that block visible light from the sun, offering additional protection against dark spots. And wearing a hat or sun-protective clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor or UPF grading can provide an extra safety boost.
Whatever the sun protection routine, it's important to keep it up, Lester said. Some UV rays can climb right through car and house windows to cause sun damage even when indoors, making it even more important to take care of the skin while the sun shines.
'It's about trying to make it a daily habit,' she said. 'Consistency over intensity.'
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Yomiuri Shimbun
07-06-2025
- Yomiuri Shimbun
U.K. to Cut Foreign Workers, the ‘Backbone' of British Nursing Homes
Tori Ferenc for The Washington Post Jeremiah Akindotun helps Edna Barnett with her crossword puzzle at Hammerson House, a 116-room nursing home in north London where 58 percent of the clinical staff come from 49 different countries. LONDON – The 23-year-old Nigerian man handed the 78-year-old British woman her noon pill and, on a sunny June day, sat down for a little chat amid the family photos lining her wall. 'Will you miss me if I leave?' Jeremiah Akindotun asked with a smile. 'Oh, I think it's too sad, Jerry,' said Suad Lawy, sitting back in her chair. 'You get so attached. What's going to happen to our carers?' Akindotun is a health assistant at Hammerson House, a 116-room nursing home in north London where 58 percent of the clinical staff come from 49 different countries. Across the United Kingdom, foreign workers commonly provide intimate care to elderly Brits, with nearly a third of care staff coming from overseas. But maybe not for long. The British government, struggling to address immigration tensions, announced last month that it was ending the special overseas recruitment program that has been a pipeline for care workers in recent years. Officials said the move was necessary to make the care system less dependent on foreign labor and to root out fraud and exploitation in the fast-track care worker visa program, which was initiated five years ago to ease a staffing crisis in the care industry, one of Britain's biggest employment sectors. The plan funneled more than 220,000 workers into facilities around the country, according to a government-sponsored database, but it also faced problems. Most workers landed with legitimate companies, but thousands were scammed in their home countries by fake employment brokers. Others arrived only to be overworked and underpaid, even sexually exploited, under threats of having their visas canceled. Reputable nursing home administrators, however, said canceling the program outright is a body blow to their efforts to fill more than 131,000 open positions in a system that is creaking under the weight of an aging population. Nursing home care is provided by private companies in the U.K. but largely financed by cash-strapped local governments. British citizens show little interest in the jobs, which are considered low pay, low status and demanding, providers say. 'I haven't had a White British applicant in a year,' said Jenny Pattinson, CEO of the nonprofit that runs Hammerson House and another London care home. Underlying all of this is a debate about immigration that continues to convulse Britain, like most Western nations. A decade after its Brexit vote to leave the European Union, the U.K. is still arguing with itself about how multicultural and globally integrated it wants to be, questions that continue to drive politics. The Labour government, generally considered immigration-friendly, announced the end of the care worker visa program less than two weeks after being crushed in English regional elections by Reform UK, a right-wing, populist party started by anti-immigration activist and Brexit-champion Nigel Farage. Reform UK defeated hundreds of Labour and Conservative incumbents and took control of 10 local councils. Critics say Prime Minister Keir Starmer is trying to dent Reform UK's appeal by making his own rightward pivot on immigration. Cutting the care-worker visa was part of a broader package of immigration changes, including doubling the number of years required for visa holders to become permanent residents and raising the English-language requirement for skilled workers. In announcing the measures, Starmer sparked a backlash within his own party by warning that Britain risked becoming 'an island of strangers,' a phrase in which some found echoes of xenophobic rhetoric. In 1968, Enoch Powell was kicked out of the Tory shadow cabinet after saying in his famous 'rivers of blood' speech that White Britons 'found themselves made strangers in their own country.' Starmer rejected the comparison in an interview with the Guardian newspaper, saying that 'migrants make a massive contribution to the UK, and I would never denigrate that.' Immigration has bedeviled both Labour and Conservative prime ministers for years. Both legal immigrants and asylum seekers arriving on small boats surged to a peak of 906,000 by June 2023. The numbers are falling as restrictions imposed by the then Tory government and the new Labour government kick in, with net migration into the country down to 431,000 in measures released in May. But the issue remains divisive as a record 11,074 people arrived in small boats in the first four months of this year. Care home operators accused Starmer of going after their workers because they are easier migrants to block than those crossing the English Channel without permission. 'In my humble opinion, this is a knee-jerk reaction to the surge in votes for Reform,' Pattinson said. 'The government is saying 'Right, we've got to do something about immigration. Where is the largest body of workers coming from abroad? It's the care sector.' There aren't many aspects of British life in which immigration plays a larger, or more emotional, role than in health and social care. Migrants from the British commonwealth, and particularly the postwar 'Windrush' generation of workers recruited from the Caribbean, fill the ranks of beloved National Health Service. Nurses of colors danced and flew through the air as part of a tribute to the NHS in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics. Lawy, a former secondary schoolteacher from Hampshire, a county that is 90 percent White, who has formed bonds with her Nigerian, South Asian and Filipino caregivers, said she had little experience with multiculturalism before moving to Hammerson House following a stroke. 'It's really opened my mind,' she said. 'My sister used to say she enjoyed living in a diverse community and I really didn't know what she meant,' Lawry said. 'Now I do.' Hammerson House is a Jewish care home. But Ayesha Khan, a Muslim physical therapist from Pakistan who arrived through the visa program last year, said she has felt welcome and useful. Managers told her to step away for prayers whenever she needed to and the only comment she has gotten about her hijab was from a questioner making sure she was not wearing it against her will. 'It's not just a home for residents here, it's a home for me,' Khan said. These ties make the new restrictions even more explosive, experts said, even as they acknowledged that there was a need for some reform of the abuse-prone visa program. 'It's a sacred cow, immigration is the backbone of the U.K. care system,' said Rob McNeil of Oxford University's Migration Observatory. 'There is a snap response, 'Oh my god, how terrible.' But if they don't resolve things at a structural level there will be consistent problems.' The program started in 2020 under Prime Minister Boris Johnson to address a drain of European workers that followed the Brexit vote. A lack of oversight, critics charge, allowed shady enterprises and outright fraudsters to operate alongside legitimate care providers. In a crackdown last year, government investigators revoked the licenses of 470 sponsoring organizations, leaving 39,000 guest workers stranded without jobs. 'A third of our calls now come from care workers,' said Olivia Vicol, head of Work Rights Centre, a legal advocacy group. Nursing home operators say the government has itself to blame for letting the bad actors flourish and that the staffing crisis will only get worse as a result of cutting the whole program without beefing up training, incentives and pay for British citizen to take the jobs. That could create even more political backlash for the government. 'This program was poorly designed at the outset and it's kind of obvious lever to pull when net migration numbers go up,' said Robert Ford, political science professor at the University of Manchester. 'But there will be an uproar if there is major crisis in care homes.' The government said it was immediately suspending new overseas recruitment through the program, but that current visa holders could apply for renewals until 2028. The number of family members workers can bring was cut, and they will now be required to stay 10 years for a sponsoring facility, instead of five, before being free to explore other work. 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Japan Today
05-06-2025
- Japan Today
Chronic stress contributes to cognitive decline and dementia risk: What you can do about it
By Jennifer E Graham-Engeland and Martin J Sliwinski The probability of any American having dementia in their lifetime may be far greater than previously thought. For instance, a 2025 study that tracked a large sample of American adults across more than three decades found that their average likelihood of developing dementia between ages 55 to 95 was 42%, and that figure was even higher among women, Black adults and those with genetic risk. Now, a great deal of attention is being paid to how to stave off cognitive decline in the aging population. But what is often missing from this conversation is the role that chronic stress can play in how well people age from a cognitive standpoint, as well as everybody's risk for dementia. We are professors at Penn State in the Center for Healthy Aging, with expertise in health psychology and neuropsychology. 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Avoiding stressful events and difficult life circumstances is typically not an option. Where and how you live and work plays a major role in how much stress you experience. For example, people with lower incomes, less education or those living in disadvantaged neighborhoods often face more frequent stress and have fewer forms of support – such as nearby clinics, access to healthy food, reliable transportation or safe places to exercise or socialize – to help them manage the challenges of aging As shown in recent work on brain health in rural and underserved communities, these conditions can shape whether people have the chance to stay healthy as they age. Over time, the effects of stress tend to build up, wearing down the body's systems and shaping long-term emotional and social habits. Lifestyle changes to manage stress and lessen dementia risk The good news is that there are multiple things that can be done to slow or prevent dementia, and our review suggests that these can be enhanced if the role of stress is better understood. Whether you are a young, midlife or an older adult, it is not too early or too late to address the implications of stress on brain health and aging. Here are a few ways you can take direct actions to help manage your level of stress: -- Follow lifestyle behaviors that can improve healthy aging. These include: following a healthy diet, engaging in physical activity and getting enough sleep. Even small changes in these domains can make a big difference. -- Prioritize your mental health and well-being to the extent you can. Things as simple as talking about your worries, asking for support from friends and family and going outside regularly can be immensely valuable. -- If your doctor says that you or someone you care about should follow a new health care regimen, or suggests there are signs of cognitive impairment, ask them what support or advice they have for managing related stress. -- If you or a loved one feel socially isolated, consider how small shifts could make a difference. For instance, research suggests that adding just one extra interaction a day – even if it's a text message or a brief phone call – can be helpful, and that even interactions with people you don't know well, such as at a coffee shop or doctor's office, can have meaningful benefits. Walkable neighborhoods, lifelong learning A 2025 study identified stress as one of 17 overlapping factors that affect the odds of developing any brain disease, including stroke, late-life depression and dementia. This work suggests that addressing stress and overlapping issues such as loneliness may have additional health benefits as well. However, not all individuals or families are able to make big changes on their own. Research suggests that community-level and workplace interventions can reduce the risk of dementia. For example, safe and walkable neighborhoods and opportunities for social connection and lifelong learning – such as through community classes and events – have the potential to reduce stress and promote brain health. Importantly, researchers have estimated that even a modest delay in disease onset of Alzheimer's would save hundreds of thousands of dollars for every American affected. Thus, providing incentives to companies who offer stress management resources could ultimately save money as well as help people age more healthfully. In addition, stress related to the stigma around mental health and aging can discourage people from seeking support that would benefit them. Even just thinking about your risk of dementia can be stressful in itself. Things can be done about this, too. For instance, normalizing the use of hearing aids and integrating reports of perceived memory and mental health issues into routine primary care and workplace wellness programs could encourage people to engage with preventive services earlier. Although research on potential biomedical treatments is ongoing and important, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease. However, if interventions aimed at reducing stress were prioritized in guidelines for dementia prevention, the benefits could be far-reaching, resulting in both delayed disease onset and improved quality of life for millions of people. Jennifer E Graham-Engeland is Professor of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State. Martin J Sliwinski is Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, Penn State. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. External Link © The Conversation
Japan Today
26-05-2025
- Japan Today
You should wear sunscreen even if you have darker skin. Here's why
By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN People with darker skin still need to wear sunscreen — for more reasons than one. Too much ultraviolet exposure from the sun can lead to sunburn, dark spots and wrinkles, and increased risk of skin cancer. The melanin in darker skin offers some extra protection from the sun, but dermatologists say that isn't enough on its own. "Everyone needs sunscreen. But the reasons that one might be reaching for sunscreen may differ depending on your skin tone,' said Dr. Jenna Lester, who founded the Skin of Color Clinic at the University of California, San Francisco. White people are overall more likely to get skin cancer compared to Black and Hispanic people. But Black and Hispanic people are less likely to survive the most dangerous kind of skin cancer called melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society. Black patients more commonly get melanoma on their hands and feet — places that are more shielded from the sun. Still, sunscreen is an additional protective layer that helps prevent a host of other problems including sunburns, hyperpigmentation after acne, rosacea and dark patches on the face. Dr. Oyetewa Asempa at Baylor College of Medicine often reminds her darker-skinned patients: 'All of the problems that you're coming to see me for are caused or worsened by the sun.' To stay safe in the sun, it's important to grab sunscreen with a sun protection factor or SPF of at least 30 and reapply every two hours. People headed for the pool or beach should put on sunscreen beforehand, remembering to reapply liberally and after getting out of the water. Most people don't wear enough sunscreen when they apply, Lester said. Make sure to put two long fingers' worth on the face and a hefty blob for the body. Look for chemical-based sunscreens to avoid ashy white cast. Two key ingredients in mineral-based products — zinc oxide and titanium oxide — are the culprits for that pesky discoloration on dark skin. Tinted sunscreens contain pigments that block visible light from the sun, offering additional protection against dark spots. And wearing a hat or sun-protective clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor or UPF grading can provide an extra safety boost. Whatever the sun protection routine, it's important to keep it up, Lester said. Some UV rays can climb right through car and house windows to cause sun damage even when indoors, making it even more important to take care of the skin while the sun shines. 'It's about trying to make it a daily habit,' she said. 'Consistency over intensity.' The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
