Bello Olayemi, Sudhoff Holger, Goon Peter
Department of Dermatology, Peterborough City Hospital, North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, Peterborough, PE3 9GZ, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Bielefeld, Campus Klinikum Bielefeld, Bielefeld, 33604, Germany.
Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2021 Nov 24;14:1791-1797. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S334574. eCollection 2021.
Eumelanin, the primary pigment in human epidermis, has a well-established photo-protective role. It can confer a protection factor of up to approximately 13.4 in some individuals. However, the protection eumelanin affords is not absolute and, further, the susceptibility of human skin to the harmful effects of UV radiation is more complex than skin pigmentation alone.
Our survey explored the lifetime prevalence of sunburn in people of African Ancestry based in the UK (Black African or Black Caribbean).
A significant number of respondents, 52.2% (n=222), reported a history of sunburn. Interestingly, there was a significant increase in frequency of sunburn in those with a lighter skin tone (self-classified from dark, medium and light - 47.3%, 53.5% and 71.4%, respectively). In total 69% reported that the episode of sunburn occurred when they were not using sunscreen, and another 10% could not recall whether sunscreen was used. A large proportion of respondents (59%) indicated that they had been sunburnt while away from the UK in hot/sunny climates, raising the question of whether intermittent sun exposure at high UV indices is a key factor in sunburn risk for those living in temperate climates.
Our findings do not support the hypothesis of a simplistic relationship between skin colour and sun sensitivity and encourage us to re-examine this relationship and its implications for public health promotion. It also adds to a body of evidence revealing the need for more up-to-date and appropriate systems to assess the risk UV radiation poses to diverse populations.
真黑素是人类表皮中的主要色素，具有公认的光保护作用。在某些个体中，它可提供高达约13.4的保护系数。然而，真黑素提供的保护并非绝对的，此外，人类皮肤对紫外线辐射有害影响的易感性比单纯的皮肤色素沉着更为复杂。
我们的调查探讨了英国非洲裔（非洲黑人或加勒比黑人）人群晒伤的终生患病率。
相当数量的受访者（52.2%，n = 222）报告有晒伤史。有趣的是，肤色较浅的人群（自我分类为深色、中等色和浅色，晒伤频率分别为47.3%、53.5%和71.4%）晒伤频率显著增加。总共69%的人报告说晒伤发生在他们未使用防晒霜的时候，另有10%的人记不起是否使用了防晒霜。很大一部分受访者（59%）表示他们在离开英国身处炎热/阳光充足的气候时被晒伤，这就提出了一个问题，即对于生活在温带气候中的人来说，在高紫外线指数下间歇性暴露于阳光下是否是晒伤风险的关键因素。
我们的研究结果不支持肤色与阳光敏感性之间存在简单关系的假设，并促使我们重新审视这种关系及其对促进公众健康的影响。这也增加了一系列证据，表明需要更及时和适当的系统来评估紫外线辐射对不同人群构成的风险。
