In a world where glowing, healthy skin is highly prized, protecting it from sun damage is more crucial than ever.  Hence, to tackle this concern, Beiersdorf, makers of NIVEA, recently launched its new Nivea UV Face Sunscreen focused on caring for the African skin.

Speaking at the event which held at Sol beach in Lagos, Marketing Director, Central, East and West Africa at Beiersdorf Nivea, Fiyin Toyo, said, “Nigeria is hot and we’re exposed to the sun every single day. We’ve been seeing the statistics; more and more Black people are diagnosed with skin cancer, melanoma, and so on.  The reason for this is because we don’t protect our skin.

“At Beiersdorf, we care about our consumers, partners, and the general public. So, to demonstrate this care, we’ve launched a product that protects them from the adverse effects of the sun. While sunscreen is for everybody, our focus is on males and females between 25-45 years old who go out to work, to the office, engage in sports, and participate in other activities that expose them to the sun.”

A Pharmacist and Medical Manager for Beiersdorf Nivea, Central, East and West Africa, Wilson Okpani noted that sunscreen protects against sunrays which are responsible for causing sunburn or darkening of the skin called hyperpigmentation.

“Darkening of the skin is the major reason why many people resort to bleaching and that is why it’s very important to have sun protection. Some people are ordinarily fair and start getting dark all of a sudden, sunscreen protects that.”

Okpani noted that the possibility of developing skin cancer is also possible if we continue to stay exposed to the sun rays. Sun protections are considered safe for everybody, however, there are peculiarities for pregnant women. Care should always be taken in the case of pregnant women, though we do not have available data to suggest if it does any harm. Even if you’re indoors, the sun rays can impact your skin negatively. You should use sunscreen,” he added.