Launching into May’s Sunshine Month – New, individualized recommendations are based on skin type, replacing the message of the last few decades which has shunned the sun, saying to cover up and beware of its harms
Key Points
- Individuals with darker skin are at lower risk for skin cancer but higher risk of vitamin D deficiency, while those with lighter skin have a higher tendency to burn and a higher risk of skin cancer, yet sun avoidance will require vitamin D supplementation
- Australia (2023) has become the first country to provide guidelines for sun exposure based on skin type, risk of skin cancer, and risk of vitamin D deficiency, officially recommending increased sun exposure for darker skinned people
- Calculate your risk of having low vitamin D status based on supplementation, sunshine and UVB exposure; take the Vitamin D Deficiency Risk Assessment Quiz today!
