It was another cold winter morning in Metro Detroit, as I sat anxiously in the doctor’s office and waited for the results of my skin biopsy. Yes. I was waiting to see if I was going to be one of those diagnosed with skin cancer. I had recently discovered a weird discoloration of skin on my arm that was not going away. After spending time on the internet trying to diagnose myself, I decided it was time to pay a trip to the dermatologist and get checked out. The internet was freaking me out!

Let me take you back. I used to be one of those girls that would lay out all summer long trying to achieve a rich, dark tan. I would normally start out with a couple burns that would slowly turn tan. You know, I had to work on my base color. There was also a period when I would use tanning beds in the winter and spring to try and maintain my tan. Yes, I am Hispanic but I am fair-skinned without the dark complexion. I had always longed for the darker skin that so many of my family members had.

I had finally reached a point in the last few years where I grew comfortable with my fair skin. I became more cautious and wore sunscreen when outside. I was more careful about how long I stayed in the sun. I guess that it was the combination of finally being comfortable with my skin and the statistics on skin cancer that really hit me.

So, this brings me back to the doctor’s office. I was 30 years old. Wasn’t that too young to get skin cancer? I always thought of skin cancer occurring in older individuals. You know, the ones you see while on vacation in Florida or Arizona that have leathery skin and look like lizards. I didn’t have leathery, lizard skin. How come I was the one who could possibly have skin cancer? My name was called and I went into the office. The doctor told me that I did not have skin cancer and I breathed a sigh of relief. He told me to be careful in the sun and to always wear sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15. Why am I sharing all of this with you if I ended up not having skin cancer? I am sharing this with you because next time I might not be so lucky. Next time, you might know somebody with a similar story who does end up walking out with a skin cancer diagnosis.

It does not matter how light or dark your skin is. Everyone is at risk of getting skin cancer. Latinos are at special risk since many of us do have dark skin. We think….”I don’t need sunscreen. I will be fine.” My boyfriend says that all of the time. Unfortunately, when Latinos are diagnosed with the disease, it is often in the deadliest form: melanoma. This is because it goes untreated for so long.

The moral of this story is to protect yourself from the sun. Wear sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15 or 50 if you are fair like me. Be sure to re-apply it throughout the day. Wear sunglasses and a hat for extra protection. Parents-be sure to instill these early habits in your children. This way when they get older proper skin care will be part of the routine.

For more information on skin cancer, visit: www.cancer.org

Lastly, to all of my fair skinned Latinos out there…….be happy with your light skin! Embrace it! Love it!

Author: Gabriella Muñoz

Photo: Renée Gonyeau