Skin Cancer: Foundation Advises Albino to Stay Away from Sunlight

The Albino Foundation has advised Persons with Albinism (PWAs) to stay away from the sun in order to reduce the risk of getting skin cancer.

The President of the foundation, Mr Jake Epelle, gave the advice recently, while describing albinism as a global phenomenon that occurs in people of all race and gender; he said it is a hypopigmentary genetic disorder caused due to lack of melanin pigment.

He regretted the higher prevalence of skin cancer among PWAs as against those without the condition, and blamed it on their exposure to sunlight.

Epelle advised those with albinism to wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from sunlight and to also apply sunscreen when leaving the house “to protect your skin from the sun’’.

He also urged them to wear long sleeves and long pants of tightly woven fabrics, a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses that absorb Ultra Violet (UV) rays.

“Avoid going out under sun between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

“If you must, please ensure you wear protective clothing,” he said.

According to Epelle, it is estimated that about one in 70 people carry a recessive gene for albinism and about one in every 18,000 people in the world have albinism disorder.

The president of the foundation underscored the need for government to strengthen advocacy to enlighten the public on measures to be adopted in order to reduce the rate of skin cancer among PWAs and its associated deaths.

Albinism is a genetic condition where people are born without the usual pigment (colour) in their bodies.

The body of such group of persons are not able to make a normal amount of melanin, the chemical responsible for eye, skin, and hair colour.