Do people with dark skin age more slowly than people with light skin?

UV radiation causes up to 90% of cosmetically visible skin ageing. The type of melanin plays a major role here: the brown-black variant (eumelanin) that dominates in dark skin types absorbs UV radiation and protects cell structures. The red-yellow variant (pheomelanin) found in light and red skin types does the opposite: when exposed to sunlight, it produces reactive compounds that actually damage cells.

Because of this superior photoprotection, people with dark skin look less wrinkled at the same age and their skin thickness changes more slowly than in people with light skin. They also have a lower risk of UV-related skin cancer. These are associations from comparative research, not controlled experiments in which people were randomly assigned a skin type. The precise magnitude of the difference is therefore difficult to express as a single number.

Yet the picture of 'dark skin ages more slowly' is incomplete without an important qualification. Higher melanin levels are also associated with an increased risk of pigmentation disorders: think of dark spots following inflammation, or melasma caused by sun exposure and hormones. These are not minor cosmetic issues; they are common and clinically difficult to treat.

The protective effect of melanin itself remains stable throughout life. It does not diminish with age. This means that the advantage of dark skin is not a temporary benefit but a constant factor. That said, for every skin type, prolonged UV exposure will ultimately cause damage: melanin protection slows ageing, but does not prevent it entirely.