Education

Lately, you may have heard various claims questioning the safety and effectiveness of sunscreen. Perhaps you heard that instead of protecting against melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, sunscreen actually causesthe disease, and that the chemicals in sunscreen are every bit as dangerous as the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. Here, we address some of those concerns.

Are the chemicals in sunscreen safe? I've heard about problems with oxybenzone, retinyl palmitate and nanoparticles and I am worried.

The safety of sunscreens has now been studied in labs and on live subjects by research scientists for years. The evidence that sunscreens are safe and effective is overwhelming.

No evidence has shown that oxybenzone has any adverse health effect in humans. Oxybenzone can be absorbed by the body, but it does not accumulate, and it is excreted, making significant buildup virtually impossible. Oxybenzone has been approved by the FDA for human use and has also been reviewed exhaustively.

There is no scientific evidence that retinyl palmitate causes cancer in humans. Previous information that caused controversy was from an unpublished study in mice and cannot be applied to humans.

Current research indicates that fears about the absorption of nanoparticles are unwarranted. Sunscreen is applied to the outermost layer of the skin (the stratum corneum), which is made up of dead skin cells. Several studies have shown that nanoparticles do not penetrate living skin. 

Does sunscreen prevent melanoma and other skin cancers? I have heard that sunscreen may actually increase my risk of developing melanoma. Is that true?

In 2010, new clinical research on humans shows more convincingly than ever that sunscreen helps protect against melanoma and other skin cancers.

A comprehensive review of all studies from 1996 to 2003 found no evidence that sunscreen increases your risk of developing melanoma.

If I use sunscreen will I become Vitamin D deficient?

After reviewing 1,000 studies, it was found that the vast majority of Americans take in enough vitamin D. It was also found that there is no evidence that vitamin D deficiency is currently leading to cancers, heart disease, diabetes, or other conditions.

Several studies have found that regular sunscreen use does not prevent adequate vitamin D intake.

After reaching the full amount of vitamin D your body can make from sun exposure (this happens within about 5 minutes), further UV exposure actually has a reverse effect and breaks down vitamin D.

It is recommended that children and adults obtain vitamin D from fish, fortified dairy products, cereals and supplements.

All of this being said, sunscreen is not the only melanoma prevention strategy that should be used, nor is it a "free pass" to be in the sun for longer periods of time. Seeking shade, wearing protective clothing and using sunscreen properly are all recommended sun safety techniquesthat should be used together.