| Skin cancer is the most common of all the cancers. | | | | seen in body areas which have less skin color such as |
| For years, the majority of the black population and | | | | fingers, soles, the palms of the hands, and toes. |
| even many medical specialists have assumed that | | | | Symptoms sometimes even appear in the mouth and |
| people of color cannot get skin cancer, but that | | | | near the reproductive organs. |
| assumption is very much false. | | | | While a high percentage of Caucasians wear |
| Believing themselves safe from the sun's radiation, | | | | sunscreen when they're exposed to the sun for long |
| many people with darker complexions do not use | | | | periods of time, the percentage of people of color |
| sunscreen. Since these individuals feel invincible against | | | | who wear sunscreen is estimated to be less than |
| the sun, they often are unaware of the symptoms | | | | thirty percent. To alleviate the risks of skin cancer, all |
| of cancer of the skin when they are present. As a | | | | individuals, regardless of race, should wear sunscreen. |
| result, even though this cancer can be treated, is | | | | Cancer of the skin does not discriminate; it affects |
| more likely to result in fatalities in cases involving | | | | people of all races. Therefore, everyone should take |
| people with darker skin tones than people with lighter | | | | preventive measures to avoid the sun's UV rays and |
| skin tones. This is because usually when skin cancer is | | | | see a physician at the first appearance of a mole or |
| diagnosed in persons with brown or black skin, the | | | | an abnormal growth. Just because skin cancer does |
| cancer is typically in its later stages. At this point, the | | | | occur less often in people of color, this does not |
| cancer may have spread and be impossible to treat. | | | | mean that this group is invulnerable to cancer. |
| Signs of skin cancer in darker individuals are typically | | | | No one is. |