10 sunscreen myths you shouldn’t fall for – The Voice

July 5, 2024

Chemical sunscreens contain ingredients like avobenzone that absorb UV rays. Mineral sunscreens rely on zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to block or reflect the rays. (Dreamstime/TNS)

Karen Kaplan | Los Angeles Times (TNS)

Attention sun protection skeptics: The sun’s UV rays are after you and you are only making their job easier.

Now summer is here, which means we’re spending more time in the sun – and are more exposed to the ultraviolet radiation it emits. Longer wavelength ultraviolet A rays can penetrate beneath the surface of the skin and cause premature aging. Shorter wavelength ultraviolet B rays affect the outermost layers of skin, causing sunburn and tanning. (A third type of ray, ultraviolet C, is intercepted by the Earth’s protective ozone layer.)

Both UVA and UVB damage the DNA in skin cells and cause mutations. These mutations can build up over time and cause tumor growth. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the more UV radiation you are exposed to, the greater the risk.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer in the United States, followed by squamous cell carcinoma. A total of about 5.4 million of these cancers are diagnosed each year, and they cause between 2,000 and 8,000 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society.

Melanoma of the skin is rarer and more deadly, affecting an estimated 100,640 Americans and killing 8,290 people this year, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Sunscreens can protect you from these nasties in two ways. Chemical sunscreens contain ingredients like avobenzone that absorb UV rays. Mineral sunscreens rely on zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to block or reflect the rays. In both cases, the sun’s radiation cannot penetrate the skin and damage your DNA.

Here are 10 sunscreen myths you shouldn’t fall for:

Myth 1: As long as you don’t get sunburned, you’re safe.

The reality: You don’t have to get sunburned to put your skin at risk. UV radiation damages the DNA of unprotected skin — even if your skin looks normal to the naked eye — and the effects are cumulative, says Dr. Henry Lim, a photodermatologist at Henry Ford Health in Detroit who studies the effects of sunlight on skin.

“Every time the skin is damaged by the sun, with or without a sunburn response, damage is created that the skin must repair,” Lim said. “If this subclinical damage persists often enough for a long enough period of time, the skin’s ability to fully repair all DNA damage is compromised.”

Myth #2: Your body needs vitamin D and sunscreen prevents you from getting it.

The reality: Even a small amount of sun exposure is enough to produce all of your body’s vitamin D needs. A study of white people in the Boston area found that 5 to 10 minutes of sun on the face, arms, and legs two to three times a week during the summer months is enough to produce enough vitamin D.

Even if you apply sunscreen, you’re still exposed to that minimum amount of sun exposure, Lim said. “When we use sunscreen, we don’t apply enough,” he said. “It’s just human nature.”

Dr. Anne Chapas, a dermatologist in Manhattan and clinical instructor at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, advises patients who are concerned about their vitamin D levels to protect their skin and get the nutrient through food or take supplements.

“You need vitamin D to be healthy, but there are several ways to get it,” she said.

Myth 3: The chemicals in sunscreen can cause cancer.

The reality: The active ingredients in sunscreens sold in the United States are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which has found them to be safe and effective. The National Academies add that “sunscreen use is not associated with higher rates of cancer.”

In fact, the opposite is true, says Chapas: “If you don’t want to get cancer, use sunscreen.”

Myth 4: If the UV index is low, sun protection is not necessary.

The reality: The UV index primarily measures UVB, which Lim calls the “sunburn spectrum.” Even if UVB is low, you still need to protect yourself from UVA.

“As long as there is light, there is enough UVA” to promote tanning, cause wrinkles and increase the risk of skin cancer, Lim said.

Chapas agreed. “Even on cloudy days, about 80% of the sun’s rays come through and you can still get sun damage,” she said.

Myth 5: If you have dark skin, you don’t need sunscreen.

The reality: People of all skin colors can get sun damage and skin cancer. In fact, “skin cancer in darker-skinned patients is often diagnosed at later stages when it is more difficult to treat,” said Dr. Seemal Desai, president of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Chapas added that darker skin may be more prone to discoloration than lighter skin because it tends to produce melanin when exposed to the sun.

Myth 6: Mineral-based sunscreens are safer than chemical sunscreens.

The reality: Both types are safe to use, but there are fewer unknowns with mineral sunscreens because they are not absorbed by the skin, Lim said.

Chapas said that’s one reason she prefers mineral sunscreens. She also appreciates their versatility, since they can be applied over makeup or moisturizer. “The challenge is that some of these formulations have a whitish cast, so you have to find one that suits your complexion,” she said.

Myth 7: You can protect yourself from the sun by building up a “base tan.”

The reality: A tan can provide a little protection, but it’s less than the equivalent of SPF 5, Lim said. That’s not nearly enough to make sunscreen unnecessary.

Additionally, a tan itself is a sign of sun damage. “When our skin is exposed to UV light, it stimulates the production of melanin to prevent more UV radiation from penetrating the skin and damaging the skin cells underneath,” Chapas said. “A tan is not healthy. It is actually your body’s attempt to protect itself.”

Myth 8: The antioxidant astaxanthin protects you from UV radiation and acts as an “internal sun protection”.

The reality: Antioxidants reduce the biological damage caused by sun exposure in two ways, Lim said. When UVA rays damage DNA, it does so through oxidative damage to DNA, and antioxidants can help minimize that. Additionally, when visible light comes into contact with the skin, it can cause cells to produce a type of destructive molecule called reactive oxygen species. Antioxidants can also help counteract that process.

Incorporating antioxidants into a sunscreen routine makes sense, but they alone can’t do the job. “There are no pills as effective as sunscreen,” Chapas said.

If you want to take an antioxidant to reduce sun damage, astaxanthin is not necessarily the best choice, Lim and Chapas agreed. The product Chapas recommends is from Heliocare.

Myth 9: The chemicals in sunscreen enter your bloodstream and build up over time.

The reality: There are no long-term studies on the blood of people who regularly use sunscreen, so there’s no data to prove whether this is true or false. However, the chemicals are excreted in urine, which is a sign they don’t stay in the body, Lim said.

People who are skeptical about chemical sunscreens can turn to mineral sunscreens instead, he said.

Myth 10: You can prevent sun damage by wearing a good hat.

The reality: A wide-brimmed hat will definitely protect you from the sun. This is especially true for people who are bald or have thinning hair, since “we don’t have good sunscreens for hairy areas,” Chapas said.

However, a hat only blocks UV rays coming from above. Without sun protection, you’re still vulnerable to rays reflecting off water, sand, or urban surfaces like a sidewalk hitting your skin from below. (This is why you need sun protection even when you’re in the shade.)

“We need to take many measures,” Lim said. “Each one is helpful, but it is not as effective as taking everything together.”

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