Some influencers and celebrities on social media are posting posts about not using sunscreen, claiming that it causes cancer. Experts have made a statement refuting these claims and what to watch out for.
One of the biggest problems in the summer is sunburn. Since the sun’s UV rays are more intense in the summer months, burns can occur on the skin. The importance of sunscreen also comes into play here. You can see its effect much better when you use sunscreen regularly, not just on hot days. Unfortunately, however, some mistakes made while applying sunscreen can reduce the expected level of protection and even increase the risk of cancer, and there are some claims on social media sites.
In a 15-second video that went viral on Twitter and has been viewed more than a million times, a woman answers the question, “Do you wear sunscreen?” with the words, “No. There is no evidence that the sun causes cancer .” The video was a reflection of the recent anti-sunscreen movement among influencers, whose claims range from the false belief that sunscreen itself causes cancer to conspiracies that sunscreen is a way for pharmaceutical companies to increase their profits and make people sick.
DOES SUNSCREEN CAUSE CANCER?
The recall of some spray sunscreens after a testing company found contamination with the cancer-causing chemical benzene has also fueled this skepticism. “We’re literally putting cancer on our skin,” one TikTok user said in a viral video last year. Some health influencers tout the sun’s natural healing powers. Others tell their followers to make homemade sunscreen or that sunscreen prevents people from producing the vitamin D they need. Still others say consuming seed oils is the real cause of sunburns.
Dermatologists say using sunscreen wisely is much safer than overexposure. Broad-spectrum sunscreen protects skin from ultraviolet radiation, which can cause sunburn, skin cancer and signs of aging. Health agencies in the U.S. and other countries say sunscreen is crucial for preventing skin cancer.
NOTE: It is recommended to use sunscreen every day to protect the skin from harmful sun rays, and it should be applied in accordance with the two-finger rule to cover the entire skin. It is recommended to use sunscreen 15 minutes before going outside and to reapply sunscreen every two hours outside.
