Skin cancer in people of colour

Melanoma is the most common skin cancer in young people and it starts in skin cells called melanocytes. These are the cells that give your skin its colour. 

Melanoma can affect existing, or new moles. It can also develop as a new dark or unusual looking growth on the skin. It can happen on otherwise healthy-looking skin.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are other types of skin cancer. They’re less common in young people. You can find out more about these on the NHS website or the British Association of Dermatologists website. 

Find out more about skin cancer here.

Yes. Everyone can get skin cancer. 

It’s a common misunderstanding that people with black and brown skin can’t get skin cancer, but this isn’t true. While you might have less chance of getting skin cancer if you have black or brown skin, it doesn’t mean it’s not possible. 

The sites of melanoma in people with brown or black skin can also include areas not exposed to the sun, such as soles of the feet, palms of the hand and fingernail beds.

Yes, you should use sunscreen if you have darker skin tones. 

You can still get sunburn and skin damage from the sun if you have darker skin tones. 

However, this is often misunderstood, 65% of 140 respondents in our 2025 survey said they’ve been told that people with darker skin don’t need SPF protection for their skin.

It’s really important to find a type of sunscreen that you like because you’re more likely to use it regularly. We recommend that you use a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF30, ideally SPF50. It’s also important to check the UVA star rating on the bottle. You should use sunscreens that have at least a four-star rating, ideally five-star. 

You can find out more about how to keep your skin safe in the sun here. 

Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB) are two types of light radiation that can cause skin cancer. UVA is linked to skin ageing and UVB is associated with sunburn. UVB also makes vitamin D.

The UV Index tells you how strong the sun’s UV rays will be. The higher the UV index, the greater the strength of the sun’s UV rays and the more likely you will burn. You can usually find the UV Index rating on the weather app on your phone.

If you notice any changes to moles or patches of skin it’s important to get them checked out. This is especially important if they change shape, size, colour, texture or if they start bleeding. 

You might find it helpful to make a note of any freckles, moles, birthmarks, bumps, sores, scabs or scaly patches on your skin. You can check once a month, write down any changes and make a note of any new ones that appear.

Signs of skin cancer can be any changes to your skin, such as: 

• a new growth or sore that won’t heal 
• a spot, mole or sore that itches or hurts 
• a mole or growth that bleeds, is crusty or forms a scab 

It’s important to check your moles regularly and ask for an appointment with your GP if you’re worried that any of your moles are: 

• getting bigger 
• hanging shape 
• blurred, rough or jagged around the edge 
• getting darker or turning red 
• made up of more than one colour 
• itchy, painful or crusty 
• bleeding
• changing in appearance in any way

If you have black or brown skin it might be less obvious when these changes happen which is why it’s important to regularly check your moles. We recommend checking once a month, you can find out more about checking your skin on our ‘How to stay safe in the sun’ page. 

You can find out more detail on mole changes here. 

Recognising skin changes on darker skin tones can be difficult as smaller changes might not be as obvious.

It’s important to check all parts of your body when you’re checking your skin. This includes areas like the bottom of your feet and in between fingers and toes. Areas like your back might be difficult to check yourself. You can try doing this with a full-length mirror or you can ask someone you trust to help you check and make a note of any areas to keep an eye on.

You can find more information on how to check your skin on our How to stay safe in the sun page.

The most important thing to remember is that you know your body better than anyone else. If you’re worried about a change to your skin, or any other symptoms you should make an appointment to see your GP. It might not be cancer but it’s always important to get any changes checked out.

It’s really important to get anything you’re worried about checked out but it’s understandable to feel concerned about speaking to your GP. You can find advice for going to the GP here.