Wild Diversity

By Viv Cai Photo credit: Yuri Arcurs (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Just because we may not show early signs of sun damage doesn't mean that protection against the sun is any less important for dark-skinned folks than it is for people with light or white skin. Outdoorsy BIPOC people especially need to be mindful of the dangers of sun exposure and make a habit of adding sunscreen and protective clothing to our adventure check lists. Many folks of color, especially darker-skinned folks, don’t think that sun protection applies to them. But melanin alone will not protect you against the sun! While we might not display the initial signs of sun damage as early as light-skinned folks — such as wrinkles, age spots, or hyperpigmentation — our skin is still being damaged by the Ultra Violet (UV) rays. UV damage looks different on people with different skin tones. Folks with higher melanin can still get sunburned, but might not show the redness that is typical in lighter skin tone...