What People Are Getting Wrong This Week: Is Sunscreen Bad for You?
Almost everyone is wrong about sunscreen. On the one hand, few people online question the safety and effectiveness of sunscreen: people like Primal Physique, a “transformation coach,” post videos on TikTok claiming that sunscreens contain dangerous ingredients , and their should be avoided.
On the other hand, there are people like you and me who think, “What nonsense. Sunscreen is completely safe.” We are also wrong (a little wrong, but still). Surprisingly, some of what sunscreen deniers claim is true— most of it is wrong, but there is real reason to be concerned about the safety of some types of sunscreen.
Before I sift through the TikTok bullshit in search of a nugget of truth, here are the hard facts: Direct exposure to the sun’s UV rays causes 80-90% of skin cancers. The link between the sun and cancer was suspected as early as the late 19th century and was finally proven in the 1940s. This is established science. Using UV blocking sunscreen significantly reduces the incidence of skin cancer . Dermatologists almost always recommend sunscreen if you’re going to be exposed to the sun’s rays.
The case against sunscreen
Putting research aside for a second, let’s look at the claims made by sunscreen skeptics. The specifics vary from influencer to influencer , but arguments against sunscreen typically include the following:
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Sunscreen contains cancer-causing ingredients that are absorbed into the body. As this mustachioed gentleman put it: “ You are literally rubbing cancer into your skin!” “
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Sunlight is actually good for you.
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Humans have gone without sunscreen for hundreds of thousands of years, and we’re still here.
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You can prevent sunburn and skin cancer with natural ways.
Does sunscreen cause cancer?
The most compelling argument against using sunscreen is that it contains benzene, a substance that causes cancer. This is true, partly. Since 2021, there have been numerous recalls of sunscreens and other skin care products due to the presence of benzene. A study by independent testing company Valise found that 29% of sunscreen products tested contained a carcinogen, often in quantities well above the safety threshold .
However, sunscreen manufacturers did not add benzene to their products, so it remains a mystery how this turned out. It is believed that benzene was either a contaminant or a byproduct of aerosol propellants used in sunscreen sprays. Research is ongoing, and ultimately the safety of over-the-counter chemical-based sunscreens containing incidental benzene is unknown. But it’s probably not good for you.
Benzene isn’t the only potential problem: The FDA is currently asking for research to determine whether a number of common sunscreen ingredients that are absorbed into the skin are harmful, but again, we don’t really know which, if any, are harmful. these ingredients do.
This doesn’t mean you should stop using sunscreen. We may not know how harmful it is to rub benzene-tinted sunscreen onto your skin, but we do know that exposing your skin to UV rays without protection leads to skin cancer. If this concerns you, you can compare your sunscreen to this list of brands that are benzene-free .
Is sunlight beneficial?
People who are hesitant about using sunscreen often point out that sun exposure is natural and healthy. They are mostly wrong. Exposing your skin to sunlight is a way to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D, and we need vitamin D to avoid rickets and other problems, so exposure to sunlight is “good” but skin cancer is definitely bad, and a very more serious problem than rickets. Luckily, you can get enough vitamin D from your diet or from supplements, and you’re likely exposed to enough incidental sunlight to make vitamin D without having to seek it out. Endocrinologists and dermatologists generally agree that the risk of skin cancer from exposure to sunlight is a much more serious health concern than a potential vitamin D deficiency.
Humans have been exposed to sunlight for thousands of years, and we’re still here.
It’s true that cavemen didn’t wear sunscreen, but how many cavemen have you seen lately? The argument that we naturally evolved to be able to cope with sunlight without the use of sunscreen falls apart when we consider that the influence of evolution ends at reproductive age. Skin cancer tends to show up later in life when we haven’t spread our genes, so there’s no compelling reason why our skin would have evolved to have UV-tolerant skin.
Can You Prevent Skin Cancer “Naturally”?
In a recent podcast featuring sunscreen denier and reality TV star Kristin Cavallari, Eastern practitioner Ryan Monahan suggested you eat an “anti-inflammatory diet” to build an “antioxidant reservoir” in your body, as well as develop a “base layer” by gradually exposing you to the sun no need for sunscreen.
Monahan’s advice about gradual exposure to sunlight is foolish and dangerous. This is the worst advice for preventing skin cancer because research shows that cancer risk from UV exposure is cumulative : increasing sun exposure makes cancer more likely, not less likely. A “base layer” of tanning may reduce your chances of getting sunburned, but it does nothing to prevent cancer and is actually evidence that your skin is already damaged by ultraviolet radiation.
As for the song and dance of the “inflammatory reservoir of antioxidants,” there is some research that suggests there may be some connection between diet and skin cancer, but it’s not particularly convincing. There are no studies to suggest that your diet can “counteract” the cancer-causing effects of UV radiation. Ultraviolet light damages DNA in cells, leading to cancer. This will happen no matter how much broccoli you eat .
Bottom line: Use sunscreen
As annoying as it is that online transformation coaches, reality TV stars and health influencers are a little right about sunscreen (or anything else), remember that for the most part they are wrong. This is actually a simple question: you should use sunscreen if your skin is exposed to the sun’s rays because skin cancer is common and very dangerous.