Life
Fact or fiction? 6 myths black people believe about themselves
theGRIO REPORT – There are some within the black community that are believed and continuously passed down. Read to see of these six are fact and which are fiction…
Black Don’t Crack
The popular belief that people of African descent look younger than their stated age is what sits behind the quip, “black don’t crack.”
Numerous black celebrities have aged gracefully over the years, including singer Lena Horne who died last year at 92, 45 year old actor Blair Underwood, and 45 year old actress Stacey Dash who still convincingly plays 20- and 30-something characters. Many black families have their own personal stories of ageless beauty to tell.
Is it fact or fiction?
Fact
“In my dermatology practice, black men and women tend to present with skin aging concerns about a decade later than my patients with lighter skin,” says Dr. Andrew F. Alexis, director of the Skin of Color Center at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in New York City.
The types of complaints are also different, Alexis says. Aging black men and women often seek treatment for uneven skin tone, large pores or moles. Yet, the leading cosmetic concerns in his aging Caucasian patients involve fine lines, wrinkles and other signs of sun damage.
Melanin, a pigment that affects the color of hair, eyes and most importantly, skin, serves as natural sun protection. Since ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes skin to age faster, darker skin is more protected from those changes. People with fairer skin who did not use sunscreen at a young age are thus exposed to decades of sun damage long before reaching their older years.
However, the sun can still damage darker skin, and in addition to cosmetic changes, people with darker skin can develop skin cancer. So, even though “black don’t crack,” staying out of the sun, using a hat or umbrella to block sunrays, wearing sunscreen and avoiding cigarette smoking can stave off the cracks for a few years longer.
