What happens when you step out into the sun? And why, all of a sudden are sunscreens needed for African American skin?   There was a time when the sun and its rays never challenged African American skin.

It could be the natural evolution of the planet, the breakdown in the ozone layer…etc. There may have been certain challenges to the skin from overexposure that were never studied and never taught to us.

Remember, when we were first brought to America, our job was to work the fields and you can’t have someone breaking down and your job is in the sun.

If you had a challenge with your skin, it was never taught to us as a people or discussed in medical fields because your skin wasn’t important enough for conversation.

We’ve come to a place where we are challenged with the sun and overexposure just as other races are. The sun is important, not only to your skin, but your overall well being.

African American Skin and Vitamin D

Exposure to sunlight has an energizing effect and it’s good for your soul. In addition, sunlight is your main source of vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is produced in your skin after exposure to the UVB rays and it defends your body against micro bile invaders.

It regulates the concentration of calcium and phosphate and promotes strong healthy bones. It also aids in the absorption of other vitamins in the body.

Ten minutes of sun each day is highly beneficial to your skin and bones.  And those ten minutes had better include an application of sunscreen.  If you’ve read or heard of studies, you’ll find that people who don’t spend a lot of time in the sun, especially African Americans, suffer from what’s known as rickets, which is a bone disease.

It was found in cases in large cities where there are a lot of high rises. .

If you didn’t come out to play in the hours that the sun was up, then you would have a challenge as far as your bones are concerned and the health of your physical structure in general.

Ten minutes in the sun is all you need. Overexposure can cause wrinkles, even in African American skin. It might take longer to do so, but it happens. If you’re fair skinned as an African American, you can develop brown spots. Freckles are a result of exposure from the sun.

This is where your sunscreen would come into play as far as assisting and aiding in the protection of your skin. Protecting your skin by using a good sunscreen is what you want to concern yourself with during the time that you’re in the sun.

If you can limit your timeline to 10 to 15 minutes and not be in the sun at the highest point of the day, which is noon to about 3, that’s good. Use common sense. Even if you’re walking about, wear a hat.

It’s a great protector and it helps minimize the exposure to your face in particular. But because it’s warming the body, it gives you the amount of vitamin D3 that you’ll need in order to keep your bones strong and healthy.

When you’re out and about in the summer time, it’s obvious that you’ll get the amount of sun you need to protect your skin.

In the winter we don’t think as much about UVA or UVB sun damage to the skin but it’s there. If you ski, the reflection of the sun rays from the snow can sometimes be as blinding as walking out in the sun in midday.

The sun is beautiful thing, but too much of it can causes damaging effects or skin challenges for you. Spend time in the sun but spend time using common sense with the sun and its rays.

Dedicated To Your Beauty!

Juliette Samuel

Author/Esthetician/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care