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One of the main reasons patients with darker skin don't apply sunscreen is because they believe they are at low or no risk for ultraviolet damage, according to the results of a survey that I conducted with Dr. Brooke Jackson and Dr. Chikoti Mibenge.
Our findings were presented in a poster at the American Academy of Dermatology's Summer Academy Meeting in Boston.
The study, conducted by surveying 105 patients in Chicago, revealed that 60% of black patients do not wear sunscreen regularly. Additionally, many darker skinned patients reported not liking the whitish or chalky appearance that sunscreens often leave.
However, sunscreen manufacturers are making more elegant formulations of both chemical and physical blockers that do not leave a whitish hue on darker skin.
Sun protective clothing, hats, parasols or umbrellas, avoiding peak hours of sun intensity, and avoiding tanning are all common methods we recommend to patients to protect themselves. Lesser known methods that we can also recommend to our patients include:
Heliocare
Heliocare tablets contain Polypodium leucotomos extract, a fern native to Central and South America rich in antioxidants which protect against formation of free radicals from UV exposure, particularly UVA. The science is based off of the fact that the fern, which was once aquatic, adapted to life on land and created its own protection from UV rays. The recommended dose is 1 tablet each morning or 2 tablets before intense sun exposure. The effect begins 30 minutes after consumption and is still active 2.5 hours after consumption. Total elimination is estimated to be about 8 hours, but pharmacokinetics for elimination have not been published. Numerous published studies have reported its benefits with regards to UV protection. A head-to-head study of UV protection from heliocare versus other powerful antioxidant supplements would be interesting.
Algae and Coral
At King's College in London, research is being done on the photoprotective effect of coral. In a press release last year, Dr. Paul Long reported that algae living within coral produces a sunscreen-like compound that not only protects the algae and coral from UV damage, but also the fish that feed on the coral. The part the algae play is thought to be part of the shikimate pathway found only in microbes and plants. A sunscreen tablet with this ingredient for human use is in the works.
Strawberries
Strawberries, as well as other darker colored berries, are known to contain polyphenols, which are antioxidants. Researchers in Italy and Spain tested a strawberry extract on cultured human fibroblasts to see if there was a photoprotective effect. They added strawberry extract in different concentrations to all but the control group. They then exposed the samples to a dose of UV light "equivalent to 90 minutes of midday summer sun in the French Riviera," said lead investigator Maurizio Battino. The results demonstrated that strawberry extract, especially at a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml, provided UVA protection. It not only boosted cell survival and viability, but also minimized DNA damage when compared with control cells.
Perhaps there will be topical sunscreens that contain strawberry extract in the future. Other foods high in antioxidants that may have sun protective benefits include:
Colored peppers and yellow squash (high in carotenoids).
Tomatoes and watermelon (high in lycopene).
Dark berries, such as blueberries, acai, blackberries, cranberries (rich in anthocyanin).
Turmeric root (curcumin).
Pomegranate (ellegic acid).
Green and black tea (catechins).
Dark cocoa (flavanols).
Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale (xanthophylls, oxygenated carotenoids).
Fish, such as mackerel, salmon, trout, herring, and sardines (omega 3 fatty acids).
These are not a replacement for the more common methods of sun protection, but they may certainly provide an added benefit.
- Naissan Wesley, M.D.
Do you have questions about treating patients with darker skin? If so, send them to [email protected].
One of the main reasons patients with darker skin don't apply sunscreen is because they believe they are at low or no risk for ultraviolet damage, according to the results of a survey that I conducted with Dr. Brooke Jackson and Dr. Chikoti Mibenge.
Our findings were presented in a poster at the American Academy of Dermatology's Summer Academy Meeting in Boston.
The study, conducted by surveying 105 patients in Chicago, revealed that 60% of black patients do not wear sunscreen regularly. Additionally, many darker skinned patients reported not liking the whitish or chalky appearance that sunscreens often leave.
However, sunscreen manufacturers are making more elegant formulations of both chemical and physical blockers that do not leave a whitish hue on darker skin.
Sun protective clothing, hats, parasols or umbrellas, avoiding peak hours of sun intensity, and avoiding tanning are all common methods we recommend to patients to protect themselves. Lesser known methods that we can also recommend to our patients include:
Heliocare
Heliocare tablets contain Polypodium leucotomos extract, a fern native to Central and South America rich in antioxidants which protect against formation of free radicals from UV exposure, particularly UVA. The science is based off of the fact that the fern, which was once aquatic, adapted to life on land and created its own protection from UV rays. The recommended dose is 1 tablet each morning or 2 tablets before intense sun exposure. The effect begins 30 minutes after consumption and is still active 2.5 hours after consumption. Total elimination is estimated to be about 8 hours, but pharmacokinetics for elimination have not been published. Numerous published studies have reported its benefits with regards to UV protection. A head-to-head study of UV protection from heliocare versus other powerful antioxidant supplements would be interesting.
Algae and Coral
At King's College in London, research is being done on the photoprotective effect of coral. In a press release last year, Dr. Paul Long reported that algae living within coral produces a sunscreen-like compound that not only protects the algae and coral from UV damage, but also the fish that feed on the coral. The part the algae play is thought to be part of the shikimate pathway found only in microbes and plants. A sunscreen tablet with this ingredient for human use is in the works.
Strawberries
Strawberries, as well as other darker colored berries, are known to contain polyphenols, which are antioxidants. Researchers in Italy and Spain tested a strawberry extract on cultured human fibroblasts to see if there was a photoprotective effect. They added strawberry extract in different concentrations to all but the control group. They then exposed the samples to a dose of UV light "equivalent to 90 minutes of midday summer sun in the French Riviera," said lead investigator Maurizio Battino. The results demonstrated that strawberry extract, especially at a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml, provided UVA protection. It not only boosted cell survival and viability, but also minimized DNA damage when compared with control cells.
Perhaps there will be topical sunscreens that contain strawberry extract in the future. Other foods high in antioxidants that may have sun protective benefits include:
Colored peppers and yellow squash (high in carotenoids).
Tomatoes and watermelon (high in lycopene).
Dark berries, such as blueberries, acai, blackberries, cranberries (rich in anthocyanin).
Turmeric root (curcumin).
Pomegranate (ellegic acid).
Green and black tea (catechins).
Dark cocoa (flavanols).
Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale (xanthophylls, oxygenated carotenoids).
Fish, such as mackerel, salmon, trout, herring, and sardines (omega 3 fatty acids).
These are not a replacement for the more common methods of sun protection, but they may certainly provide an added benefit.
- Naissan Wesley, M.D.
Do you have questions about treating patients with darker skin? If so, send them to [email protected].
One of the main reasons patients with darker skin don't apply sunscreen is because they believe they are at low or no risk for ultraviolet damage, according to the results of a survey that I conducted with Dr. Brooke Jackson and Dr. Chikoti Mibenge.
Our findings were presented in a poster at the American Academy of Dermatology's Summer Academy Meeting in Boston.
The study, conducted by surveying 105 patients in Chicago, revealed that 60% of black patients do not wear sunscreen regularly. Additionally, many darker skinned patients reported not liking the whitish or chalky appearance that sunscreens often leave.
However, sunscreen manufacturers are making more elegant formulations of both chemical and physical blockers that do not leave a whitish hue on darker skin.
Sun protective clothing, hats, parasols or umbrellas, avoiding peak hours of sun intensity, and avoiding tanning are all common methods we recommend to patients to protect themselves. Lesser known methods that we can also recommend to our patients include:
Heliocare
Heliocare tablets contain Polypodium leucotomos extract, a fern native to Central and South America rich in antioxidants which protect against formation of free radicals from UV exposure, particularly UVA. The science is based off of the fact that the fern, which was once aquatic, adapted to life on land and created its own protection from UV rays. The recommended dose is 1 tablet each morning or 2 tablets before intense sun exposure. The effect begins 30 minutes after consumption and is still active 2.5 hours after consumption. Total elimination is estimated to be about 8 hours, but pharmacokinetics for elimination have not been published. Numerous published studies have reported its benefits with regards to UV protection. A head-to-head study of UV protection from heliocare versus other powerful antioxidant supplements would be interesting.
Algae and Coral
At King's College in London, research is being done on the photoprotective effect of coral. In a press release last year, Dr. Paul Long reported that algae living within coral produces a sunscreen-like compound that not only protects the algae and coral from UV damage, but also the fish that feed on the coral. The part the algae play is thought to be part of the shikimate pathway found only in microbes and plants. A sunscreen tablet with this ingredient for human use is in the works.
Strawberries
Strawberries, as well as other darker colored berries, are known to contain polyphenols, which are antioxidants. Researchers in Italy and Spain tested a strawberry extract on cultured human fibroblasts to see if there was a photoprotective effect. They added strawberry extract in different concentrations to all but the control group. They then exposed the samples to a dose of UV light "equivalent to 90 minutes of midday summer sun in the French Riviera," said lead investigator Maurizio Battino. The results demonstrated that strawberry extract, especially at a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml, provided UVA protection. It not only boosted cell survival and viability, but also minimized DNA damage when compared with control cells.
Perhaps there will be topical sunscreens that contain strawberry extract in the future. Other foods high in antioxidants that may have sun protective benefits include:
Colored peppers and yellow squash (high in carotenoids).
Tomatoes and watermelon (high in lycopene).
Dark berries, such as blueberries, acai, blackberries, cranberries (rich in anthocyanin).
Turmeric root (curcumin).
Pomegranate (ellegic acid).
Green and black tea (catechins).
Dark cocoa (flavanols).
Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale (xanthophylls, oxygenated carotenoids).
Fish, such as mackerel, salmon, trout, herring, and sardines (omega 3 fatty acids).
These are not a replacement for the more common methods of sun protection, but they may certainly provide an added benefit.
- Naissan Wesley, M.D.
Do you have questions about treating patients with darker skin? If so, send them to [email protected].