Taking care of darker skin tones is a little bit different than people with lighter skin tones. One of the common misconceptions is that darker skin doesn’t burn in the sun, which is not true. It just burns less easily, but sunscreen is definitely required. Another thing you need to know about darker skin tones is that it doesn’t absorb vitamin D as easily as lighter skin tones, so you want to make sure that your child is getting enough sun. Not necessarily direct sunlight, but being in a place where they can absorb vitamin D. And if you have any concern – if you live in a colder climate where there is not a lot of sun – definitely talk to your pediatrician about vitamin D supplements. Also with African-American or children of African descent, the skin can be a little sensitive and prone to eczema, so you want to keep an eye out for moisture needs. If the skin starts to get a little ashy or it looks a little white, it definitely needs more moisture. But it can also be sensitive to different types of products and that can include sunscreens. Chemical based sunscreens can cause an outbreak of eczema, so often times we might recommend what’s called a physical sunscreen, which would be zinc or titanium based, although it does leave the skin looking a little purplish in hue, it usually causes fewer reactions than chemical based sunscreens.