The sun doesn't discriminate when it comes to skin cancer

The sun doesn't discriminate when it comes to skin cancer

68,000. That's the number of new skin cancer cases the American Cancer Society estimated for last year. The majority of which stem from overexposure to dangerous rays from the sun. Yet, there are still many who are skeptical about sunscreen. Just walking through the park people will tell you, "No, I don't wear sunscreen," or, "I don't think I need it." All these people have something in common -- they're African-American. "People think that because they have darker skin that they can't get skin cancer. And in fact, you don't see it as often, but we still see it," said dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman. It's true that African-Americans are 10 times less likely to develop skin cancer compared to their white counterparts. However, they're usually diagnosed later compared to other races. Dermatologist say that the only way to insure you don't contract skin cancer is to use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. And if you have an abnormal mole, get it checked out.