Social meda has been rampant with videos warning about how “sunscreen is bad for you”. While we love a viral beauty hack, random influencers spouting about the risks of SPF without any evidence to back up their claims is actually pretty dangerous.
Sunscreen isn’t just a basic beauty product, it's designed to protect your largest organ—your skin. Your skin acts as a protective barrier against germs, bacteria, and infections, it also regulates your body temperature and synthesizes vitamin D.
Going without sunscreen damages your skin cells, breaks down collagen, and seriously increases your risk of skin cancer, not to mention accelerating the visible signs of aging.
90% of visible aging is caused by UV rays, yet there are still people who are hesitant to wear sunscreen because of the myths surrounding the safety of SPF.
We cut through the noise that could be leaving your skin open to unnecessary risk.
DOES SUNSCREEN CAUSE CANCER?
No sunscreen does not cause cancer, this one is a total myth. Not wearing SPF however, does leave you much more vulnerable to melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma if you frequently spend time outdoors unprotected.
ARE THE CHEMICALS IN SUNSCREEN HARMFUL WHEN ABSORBED IN THE BODY?
This claim pops quite a bit, but there is a simple solution to put your mind at ease. While it’s true that with chemical sunscreens, some ingredients may end up in the bloodstream, it is not unsafe. If you choose a mineral sunscreen, containing zinc oxide, you can avoid this concern completely. Zinc oxide works by creating a shield on the skin’s surface which reflects UV rays and never actually gets absorbed by the skin.
DOES SPF PREVENT VITAMIN D PRODUCTION?
No, while sunscreen blocks out harmful UV rays, even the higher factors from 30 or above still leave room to enhance vitamin D production. The body only needs a couple of minutes of sun exposure to reach the daily required amount of vitamin D, so even when wearing SPF you’re still guaranteed to get enough.
DOES SUNSCREEN CAUSE BREAKOUTS?
This one can be true if you use the wrong product. Those with sensitive or acne-prone skin should always opt for a mineral sunscreen to avoid irritation. Bonus points if it contains calming ingredients such as Aloe Leaf Juice to soothe skin.