The majority of skin cancers are due to sun exposure, so in general, people who are most susceptible to sun damage and/or have had the most sun exposure are most likely to get skin cancer. Melanin is the pigment in the skin that protects from sun damage by absorbing ultraviolet light, so the less pigment people have the less protection from ultraviolet light. read more
There are six skin phototypes, going from light to dark. Individuals with skin types I and II face the highest risk of developing skin cancer, while types V and VI are at the lowest risk. That is because those with more pigmentation have more natural protection from the sun. However, people with darker skin can nonetheless get skin cancer. read more
Naturally brown and black people (skin types V, VI – see table) can usually safely tolerate relatively high levels of sun exposure without getting sunburnt or greatly increasing their skin cancer risk. In contrast, people with pale or freckled skin, fair or red hair and blue eyes belong to the highest risk group (skin types I, II); people with dark hair and eyes who do not normally get sunburnt are at medium risk of developing skin cancer (skin types III, IV). read more