🧴 Why Asian Americans Are Less Likely to Use Sunscreen

🧴 Why Asian Americans Are Less Likely to Use Sunscreen

Most of us know sunscreen is important—but not everyone uses it equally.

A 2022 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology revealed that Asian Americans are significantly less likely to use sunscreen regularly compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHW).

Let’s look at what the research says—and why it matters.

🔬 The Data at a Glance

Using 2011–2018 NHANES data (a major U.S. health survey), researchers found that:

  • Only 29% of Asian Americans reported using sunscreen “always” or “most of the time” when out in the sun for more than an hour

  • In comparison, 35% of NHW participants reported regular sunscreen use

  • After adjusting for factors like age, sex, income, education, and skin type, Asian Americans were still significantly less likely to wear sunscreen
    (Adjusted odds ratio = 0.70, P < .0001)

💭 Why the Gap?

Several reasons might explain this:

  • Fewer sunburn experiences: Only 3% of Asian Americans reported having experienced severe sunburns, compared to 19% of NHWs. This may lead to the misconception that their skin doesn’t need protection.

  • Cultural influence: In some Asian cultures, sun avoidance is common. In others—especially among Asian Americans exposed to Western ideals—a tanned look may be desirable, leading to more sun exposure and less sun protection.

  • Misunderstanding of skin damage: Some people believe that darker or more pigmented skin doesn’t need SPF. But UVA/UVB rays still cause DNA damage and premature aging in all skin tones.

📢 Why It Matters

Just because you don’t burn easily, doesn’t mean you’re immune to:

  • Hyperpigmentation (like melasma or PIH)

  • Photoaging (wrinkles, uneven texture)

  • Skin cancers—which, in Asian Americans, are often diagnosed later and at more severe stages

💛 UVELLA’s Perspective

At UVELLA, we believe sun protection is for every skin tone.

That’s why we create sunscreens that:

  • Feel elegant on the skin

  • Blend seamlessly on diverse skin tones (no white cast!)

  • Offer broad-spectrum protection + antioxidants to defend against both UV damage and environmental stress

Whether you tan, burn, or neither—you still need sunscreen.

📚 Reference:
Martin, A., Liu, J., Thatiparthi, A., Ge, S., & Wu, J. J. (2022). Asian Americans are less likely to wear sunscreen compared with non-Hispanic whites. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 86(1), 167–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2020.12.079

Back to blog

Share