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Soo Park, MD
Soo Park, MD
Posted: Friday, February 18, 2022
Disorders of dyspigmentation are common and appear to be associated with a marked negative impact on quality of life and increased disease burden among patients of color with Fitzpatrick skin types IV (light brown skin, which burns minimally and tans easily) to VI (dark brown or black skin, which seldom burns and usually tans darkly). According to Susan C. Taylor, MD, of the University of Philadelphia, and colleagues, many individuals of color may see themselves as exempt from needing sun protection, as they develop photodamage and skin cancers in locations different from those with lighter skin tones. The study findings were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
People with Fitzpatrick skin types IV to VI have some degree of protection against ultraviolet (UV) B exposure, the authors noted, as their melanin can filter approximately two to five times more UV radiation than melanin in skin of those with lower Fitzpatrick skin types. Fitzpatrick skin types IV to VI have an increased capacity to repair DNA and a reduced depth of penetration of UV radiation compared with lighter skin tones. However, when photodamage occurs, they are more likely to develop pigmentary-related problems such as uneven skin tone, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, melasma, or any combination. Additionally, DNA damage after UV exposure occurs mainly in the upper levels of the dermis.
Photodamage in people with Fitzpatrick skin types IV to VI can decrease with more education on the importance of sun protection. Sunscreens with antioxidants scavenge reactive oxygen species and may prevent the harmful consequences of overstimulated melanogenesis. Inorganic sunscreens containing ingredients such as zinc oxide, iron oxide, or titanium dioxide act via absorption, reflection, and scattering of solar radiation. Tinted sunscreens containing iron oxides and pigmentary titanium dioxide have been shown to be effective in preventing and treating dyspigmentation by reflecting the long UV A and high-energy visible light ranges.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit www.jaad.org.
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