Hyperpigmentation typically appears on areas of skin that are regularly exposed to the sun such as the face, hands, neck and collate. It results in flat, darkened patches of skin that can vary in size and color.

The primary trigger for Melasma is hormonal, but the sun can increase the process and make the condition worse. Melasma appears as larger patches of hyperpigmentation mainly on the cheeks, forehead and above the lips. It is particularly common among women, and occurs in 10-15 percent of pregnant women and in 10-25 percent of women taking oral contraceptives.

The likeliness of sunburn is well-known for white skinned people but less known for dark skin. In a 2018 study, published in the journal of JAMA Dermatology, researchers surveyed 31,162 people about their sun protection habits. They found that 30 percent of Hispanics and 13 percent of Black people had experienced sunburn in the past year. Redness, the telltale sign of sunburn for white people, might not be as evident on darker skin, but skin can still feel hot, tight, and painful.

Any acquired tan, either in white or brown skin, is a sign that the skin is being damaged by the sun. And even if you don’t burn, unprotected time in the sun can still result in damage.

Many sunscreens rather than protecting against sun damage, contain ingredients that encourage free radical damage when exposed to sunrays. Free radicals and UV exposure are the primary causes of wrinkles and fine lines.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other regulatory agencies, a common ingredient contained in many sunscreens is known to cause blood cancer in humans, decrease red blood cell production, and suppress the immune system.

One of these toxic sunscreen ingredients is Benzene which is a known carcinogen. Early signs of benzene exposure can include headaches, tremors, dizziness, vomiting, convulsions, and even death.

Some of the most worrisome ingredients in chemical suns- creens include oxybenzone, a known endocrine disruptors, and retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A that may harm skin and possibly lead to skin tumors. These two ingredients and other harmful ingredients in sunscreen such as octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and avobenzone are all systemically absorbed into the body. Sunscreen users can also inhale ingredients in sunscreen sprays so it’s important to not use sunscreens with ingredients that can be harmful to the lungs or internal organs.