Posted by: Emily Stern, Mailonline Health Reporter
May 21, 2024 12:23, updated May 21, 2024 12:55
Young people are putting themselves at risk of skin cancer by following the advice of influencers who urge them to cut back on SPF use, experts have warned.
A video claiming sunscreen lotion contains chemicals “more carcinogenic than the sun” has racked up tens of thousands of views on TikTok.
Other anti-SPF supporters on Instagram have warned that SPF “does more harm than good.”
Instead, you need to “build up melanin to cope with the sun.”
Melanin is a natural pigment produced by the skin in response to sunlight, causing tanning and protecting the skin from UV damage.
But experts today advised that there was “no evidence” to support this trend.
At best, it can cause sunburn and premature aging. Ignoring SPF can also increase your risk of melanoma skin cancer.
Dr Babu Shergill, consultant dermatologist at London's Queen Victoria Hospital and spokesperson for the British Association of Dermatologists, told MailOnline:
“Millions of people have used sunscreens for decades, so we are confident in their safety profile.
“There's a common misconception among light-skinned people that a basic tan will protect them.
“Tanning is a response to sun damage, so you have to damage your skin to get a basic tan.
“Evidence also suggests that 'Base Tan' provides efficacy equivalent to SPF 4, but not enough to provide meaningful protection.”
He further added: “If you don't want to use sunscreen, you need to find other ways to protect yourself from the sun.”
“Use shade, minimize sun exposure when the UV index is 3 or higher, and wear clothing that covers your skin.”
“These tend to be very effective ways to protect your skin, but ideally you would use a sunscreen in addition to these options as a last line of defense.”
In an Instagram Story posted by influencer Rowin Goodman, she told her nearly 200,000 followers: “You were raised to wear sunscreen.” [to] Look after yourself,” but “everything you think you know is wrong.”
Instead, “the key is to get in shape,” said the 33-year-old, who has two children with married England footballer Kyle Walker.
She added: “It's about slowly accumulating melanin to cope with the sun.”
“I did it with K-kun.” [her oldest daughter] And I'm going to do it with my little girl.
In response to a comment from a follower who advised that UV lash vests offer “more protection” than creams, she also said that “skin does much better in the sun.”
Meanwhile, American influencer Kirby Long, who boasts 121,000 followers on Instagram, admitted that she “almost never wears sunscreen,” adding, “Sunscreen can do more harm than good. I think there are a lot of them,” he said.
Personal trainer and influencer James Middleton also wrote on Instagram in a separate post: “The sun is incredibly powerful so it's important to stay safe, but it's also one of the best things you can do for your health.” Told.
Additionally, “If you apply sunscreen, make sure it's non-toxic.” Mineral sunscreen is your best option. ”
However, Dr Richard Parsons, senior lecturer in biochemical toxicology at King's College London, today warned that tanning still increases the risk of cancer and long-term damage.
He told MailOnline: “It's fine to have a basic tan, but you still need that level of protection.
“Even if you have a burn injury, you are more likely to develop DNA mutations that can increase your risk of cancer.
“As we age, our skin loses its elasticity and can suffer damage such as wrinkles. So it's actually permanent damage.”
She added: “We're not talking about, 'I've got a really bad sunburn, but it's okay, it'll go away in a few weeks.'” It will have a lasting impact. ”
But influencers aren't the only ones promoting the use of sunscreen.
In April, former The Hills star and podcaster Kristin Cavallari, who has 5 million followers on Instagram alone, revealed that she never wears SPF.
On her podcast, Let's Be Honest, she told Ryan Monaghan, a “Functional Medicine and Oriental Medicine Practitioner” in every interview, “I feel really bad when I admit that I'm not that way. ” he said. '
Ms. Cavallari referred to Mr. Monaghan, who lives in Los Angeles, as her doctor, but he does not have an M.D. degree.
When I invited him to talk about “the health benefits of the sun and why you probably don't need sunscreen,” he replied, “The sun is life-giving and nourishing.”
He also says that by eating an “anti-inflammatory diet” instead of sunscreen, building “antioxidant stores” in the body, and increasing sun exposure to develop a “base coat,” the skin can improve. It was claimed to be able to withstand sunlight without burning.
Other anti-SPF advocates also claim that oxybenzone, a popular sunscreen ingredient, causes skin cancer and are concerned that other sunscreen ingredients are “hormone disruptors.”
One TikTok video by @theholisticbiologist, who has 30,000 followers, says: “Everyone on the beach is suffocating themselves with special sunscreen that's more carcinogenic than the sun.” .
She added: “If your sunscreen contains oxybenzone, avobenzone, octinoxate or titanium dioxide, throw it away.”
Research has long shown that sunscreens may contain both mineral and chemical UV filters.
Mineral UV filters primarily sit on the surface of your skin, forming a physical barrier that reflects UV rays before they can penetrate your skin.
Chemical UV filters, on the other hand, absorb UV light and convert it into heat energy.
In addition to being used in sunscreen creams, it may also be added to other personal care products such as moisturizers.
Some studies on animals, primarily mice, have shown that many of the commonly used chemical UV filters contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which mimic the natural estrogen found in our bodies. This means it may be a chemical that interferes with hormones.
Lifelong exposure to estrogen is an established risk factor for cancer, including breast cancer.
However, there are no human studies to support this.
Experts today warned that such products also have safety levels in place to ensure such compounds do not cause “significant problems”.
Click here to resize this module
Dr Parsons told MailOnline: “It's important to recognize that many studies are actually designed with concentrations and doses that tend to exceed those found in typical products.”
“Many of these products now have safety levels in place. They have a lot of knowledge about toxicology data.
“These products do not contain levels of these compounds that would cause serious problems.
“What happens in animals under very controlled conditions, such as constant dosing, does not necessarily happen in humans.
“For example, when applying sunscreen, most people don't apply it as quickly as they should. All toxicity is related to dose exposure.”
Additionally, “Nothing is safe. Everything is toxic in the right amount. And of course, the problem with endocrine disruptors is also the amount of data in long-term studies.”
The NHS recommends everyone use protection of at least SPF 30.
Research also suggests that regularly using a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher can cut your risk of melanoma, the most deadly skin cancer, in half.
Every year, around 15,000 people in the UK and 100,000 people in the US are diagnosed with melanoma, the most common type of skin cancer. It is the fifth most common cancer in the UK.
Its incidence in the UK is increasing faster than any other common cancer.
Increased UV exposure from the sun and tanning beds is thought to be the culprit.
Despite great advances in treatment and survival rates jumping from less than 50% to more than 90% in the past decade, more than 2,000 people still die each year.
Melanoma often grows rapidly and can quickly penetrate the skin and invade underlying blood vessels.
Once cancer cells enter the bloodstream, the disease can spread throughout the body.
The Skin Cancer Foundation also advises that approximately 90 percent of visible skin changes are caused by photoaging.
UV rays penetrate the first two layers of skin, the epidermis and dermis, and can damage the DNA of cells.
When the top layer of the epidermis is damaged, the body produces melanin in an attempt to prevent the sun's continued attacks.
Since this substance produces darker pigments in the skin, this usually causes a sunburn on the body.
Exposure to other forms of UV, UVA waves, which have longer wavelengths and deeper penetration than UVB, causes damage to the middle dermis over time.
It comes after the country's top diet guru came under fire last week for suggesting people don't need to wear sunscreen all year round.
Professor Tim Spector said SPF 50 “blocks our natural defenses”, citing studies in mice that claim vitamin D levels may be important for cancer immunity.
But one of the study's authors called his comments “a blatant misrepresentation of our study.” Other doctors slammed the advice as “reckless” and “irresponsible.”
However, dermatologists agreed with Professor Spector and argued that annual use of SPF 50 is usually unnecessary.
