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Woman's World
The Anti-Sunscreen Trend Is Here: Why People Are Ditching Sunscreen and Why It Is Important Not To
By Louisa Marshall,
2024-06-12
Beauty trends have taken over social media, and the latest one to go viral? The anti-sunscreen movement. That's right. Some beauty influencers are now saying that sunscreen not only doesn’t protect your skin from sunburns, meaning there is no need for SPF, but that it’s actually linked to cancer. But does this trend actually work and why are people believing it? All of that and more below.
The anti-sunscreen trend started after prominent doctors all over social media began claiming that certain sunscreens and the ingredients used can be linked to cancer. These doctors did say, however, that instead of stopping sunscreen use altogether , natural ingredient-based sunscreens provide alternative means of sun protection. For more on this, watch the video from Dr. Keith Kimberlin below.
Sunscreen can be toxic to humans due to harmful chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate, which may disrupt hormones, cause allergic reactions, and penetrate the skin, potentially leading to long-term health issues including endocrine disruption and skin irritation. #health #witchdoctornbt #sunscreen
Popular influencer Gubba Homestead is another prominent anti-sunscreen supporter, taking to social media to warn followers not to be “a pawn” when it comes to SPF. “ I don’t wear sunscreen , and I never will. We blame the sun for cancer when we should be blaming our diets. But if we cleaned up our diets, how would Big Food and Big Pharma make their money?” Homestead wrote on X (formerly Twitter), accompanied by a video with 1.2 million views as of publication. “Sunscreen and a poor diet will make you sick,” she continued to claim, tilting her head towards the sun in the video. X, meanwhile, attached a contest bubble to the bottom of her post, telling users, “Overexposure to the sun can cause melanoma and skin cancer. People should protect themselves by covering exposed skin or applying sunscreen” before linking to information posts from Cancer.org.
Commenters sounded off below Homestead’s post, engaging in debate as to what – if any – changes they should make to their diets and lifestyles in order to protect themselves from the sun. Others, meanwhile, wholeheartedly disagreed with the notion that sunscreen shouldn’t be used.
Other famous figures, including Laguna Beach and reallity TV star Kristin Cavallari, have jumped on the anti-sunscreen movement, giving it possibly alarming amounts of validity within the social media community.
Does sunscreen cause cancer?
Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty
There is no medical evidence to suggest that sunscreen causes cancer, according to dermatologist Anisha Patel, M.D ., who contributed her thoughts on the topic to the University of Texas’ MD Anderson Cancer Center . She highlighted that while a chemical called benzene was found contaminating some sunscreens, it is not formally used in SPF formulations and any impacted sunscreens have subsequently been pulled from shelves.
Studies have shown that some sunscreens have been laced with carcinogens , inclduing benzene, which are cancer-causing substances. According to the CDC, long-term exposure to the chemicals can lead to harmful effects in our blood , but given the lack of products now available with these ingredients, sunscreen is safe and should be used regularly.
Dr. Patel also noted for the MD Anderson Cancer Center the differences between an absorbed chemical sunscreen, a physical blocker mineral sunscreen, and the importance of reapplying throughout the day.
Sunscreen protects your skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays by absorbing them or protecting them . It can also help reduce your risk of skin cancer, sunburns, sunspots and hyperpigmentation, as well as improve your skin textures, slow down wrinkles and help your skin maintain its natural elasticity.
Most aestheticians and dermatologists recommend making sunscreen the last step in your morning skincare routine no matter what time of year it is, and reapplying throughout the day based on how long you are going to be in the sun.
When selecting your sunscreen, it is important to pick the one with a higher SPF since those offer more protection from UV rays. It is also important to select ones that offer broad-spectrum protection, since those protect from ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Studies also recommend selecting ones that are water resistant or waterproof, because when you are around large bodies of water, the sun can refelct off it and cause you to burn more easily.
For more on selecting sunscreens, including which ones a dermatologist recommends, watch this video from The Derm Doctor.
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