How does skin color affect skin cancer prevention?

Lighter skin=riskier: In general, people with lighter colored skin sustain more sun damage with shorter amounts of sun exposure. Therefore skin cancers are more common in people who are fair skinned with lots of sun exposure. However, skin cancers can affect people of any color.

Darker is protective: Skin cancer is 20 times more likely in whites versus black skin. The darker the inherent color of the skin the less likely to get skin cancer. This does not mean to go and get a tan to protect or prevent cancer. In fact sun exposure, uv light exposure and tanning booths are all risk factors to get skin cancer. Using sun screens and preventing sunburns is helpful.