Is Sunscreen Bad for You?

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Growing up, I didn’t wear sunscreen very much. Some, but not consistently. I have skin that tans very easily and rarely burns so it was never a huge issue. My mom, who grew up on the beach on the east coast says she literally never wore sunscreen and even would put baby oil on to tan more. 

That is not an uncommon thing to hear. But now we hear all the time that sunscreen is so important and if you don’t wear it you will get cancer. Most people are pretty good about wearing sunscreen these days, I feel like. 

But recently I’ve been seeing something new pop up (maybe not that new, but new to me). I try to stay off of Facebook boards too much, but I am in a couple natural living groups I peruse every now and then. Something I’ve seen a lot lately is people arguing that you shouldn’t wear sunscreen and that, in fact, it’s better NOT to wear sunscreen. 

So which is it? Should I wear sunscreen or not? Who is right here?

Let’s see if we can find some clarity in this.

The argument against sunscreen

The argument for sunscreen

The Whole FamiLee stance on sunscreen and recommendations for use

Summary / TLDR

The argument against sunscreen

I’m only going to cover this briefly because there’s honestly not a TON to it and a lot of it is bogus anyway… 

There are a couple main arguments coming from people (mostly on social media) that say sunscreen is bad for you and you shouldn’t wear it: 1) the chemicals in sunscreen are carcinogenic or endocrine disruptors and can cause health issues, 2) sunscreen keeps you from getting enough direct sun exposure to get adequate vitamin D, 3) you can train your skin to make more melanin, which will keep you from getting skin damage and cancer, and 4) good diet and hydration will prevent sun damage to skin.

Toxic chemicals in sunscreen

The argument that sunscreen contains harsh chemicals is not too off-base, especially for this blog and our readers. I talk all the time about chemicals in various products and encourage people to avoid certain things. You may also know that I always state that not all chemicals are bad for you. 

I think that’s what’s happened here, people who take the stance that all chemicals are bad for you will then jump to the fact that sunscreen has chemicals and should thus be avoided.

Here’s the truth about chemicals and sunscreen. There are definitely some chemicals in traditional (also called chemical) sunscreens that I am NOT a fan of. There are several that I would recommend avoiding, but the biggest being oxybenzone and avobenzone. These are related to benzene, a known carcinogen and they are not good for you. They also act as endocrine disruptors. The concentration of these chemicals is set to be at a safe level and it’s no guarantee that they’ll cause any issues, but I generally recommend avoiding them because they are toxic and aren’t necessary. There is good evidence that these chemicals are well absorbed into the body so it is something to be mindful of.

Luckily, there are so many options for sunscreen that do not contain these toxic ingredients. If you want to avoid these chemicals, you can still wear sunscreen, you’ll just want to stick with a mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. These ingredients are safe for your skin and effective at preventing UV damage. 

Some people don’t like the difficulty of applying some mineral sunscreens or complain that they leave a white tint. While mineral sunscreen has improved in this area, this is an issue. There are also combination sunscreens that are mineral based but include a few surfactants and other ingredients (not toxic sunscreens) that help prevent this while still providing the sun protection you need. 

If you’re interested to learn more about chemical vs. mineral sunscreen, I’ll be covering this in more depth soon.

Sunscreen and vitamin D

The argument that sunscreen prevents us from getting enough vitamin D makes sense and is important given that at least 40% of Americans (and other stats say a lot of people all over the world) are vitamin D deficient.

What’s important to know is that no sunscreen blocks all UV radiation. Even the strongest sunscreens still allow some UV through. Luckily, you don’t need to get that much sun exposure to satisfy your vitamin D needs. It seems that (though it depends on the season and the individual) as little as 30-60 minutes direct sun exposure A WEEK during peak sun hours without sunscreen is enough to give you all the vitamin D you need. Some estimates say it’s even less than that. 

Now, there’s no doubt sunscreen reduces our absorption of vitamin D. However, even though you will need a little more time in the sun if wearing sunscreen properly, doubling or even tripling that 30-60 minutes a week shouldn’t be insanely difficult unless you just don’t go outside ever. 

But if it is difficult for you to get that much outside time, it’s important to note that the same experts that say this sun exposure is necessary for adequate vitamin D ALSO say that protecting your skin from UV exposure is perhaps more important. Their recommendation is that if you’re struggling with getting enough vitamin D in a safe way, you should turn to a dietary supplement, which is far more effective than sun exposure anyway. 

So basically, yes, sunscreen will decrease the amount of vitamin D you can absorb. However, you should still be able to get enough vitamin D while using sunscreen and if you can’t you should turn to a dietary supplement rather than risking skin cancer…

You can train your skin to make more melanin and thus protect you from the sun

This could get really complicated really fast because the science on the relationship between melanin/skin pigmentation and cancer is very interesting. I’m going to keep it as simple as I can. 

It is true that naturally darker skin appears to be less susceptible to skin cancer development and sun damage in general. Interestingly though, the same research that shows that melanin is protective against UV damage shows that the effects of UV radiation on melanin causes a reaction that “cuts” DNA and thus causes damage that can increase risk of cancer. So… that’s kind of weird right?

I have seen some arguments from dermatologists and other medical professionals that part of this may be that individuals with darker skin still get skin cancer, but it is not diagnosed until later and can thus be more deadly. But that’s not a major stance. 

You also have to think about the mechanisms here. Black skin, for instance, has more melanin naturally. It’s just there genetically doing its job blocking UV rays. Increased melanin from the baseline skin color of ANY person of ANY pigmentation is caused by UV damage, which is exactly what leads to skin cancer. So if you have darker skin before obtaining a tan, yes, you may be less likely to get skin cancer. But if you’ve increased the level of melanin in your skin by getting a tan, then you’ve already done the damage that’s going to cause problems anyway. If that doesn’t make sense, I don’t know how else to say it that will. 

The bottom line is that, yes, having more melanin means you may be less likely to develop skin cancer, but it is still possible. Additionally, damaging your skin to achieve more melanin to then protect from sun damage makes no sense…

Diet and hydration as protection

I’m not even going to spend much time on this. Is diet and hydration important for overall health? Yes. Are you decreasing your odds of getting cancer by generally taking care of yourself well? Probable. But there is absolutely NO evidence that eating well and drinking a lot of water will reduce your chance of getting skin cancer from sun damage. That doesn’t even make sense. 

Sun damage, melanin effects, and the development of skin cancer related to these things have everything to do with the interaction of your skin and sunlight and absolutely nothing to do with other markers of your health. 

This is like saying smoking is okay for you because you eat well and drink a lot of water. They’re just completely unrelated. 

My final take on the arguments against sunscreen

While I get where some of these ideas come from, there’s just no evidence for these arguments and some of them don’t even make sense. If you just want to deny that the sun has a mechanistic effect on our skin that is proven to increase the risk of the development of cancer, nothing anyone says is going to convince you otherwise. 

The most credible of these arguments are the concern for harsh chemicals and the concern about vitamin D. But both have solutions. You can utilize a mineral sunscreen, as well as even better methods like protective clothing and seeking shade, and you can take a vitamin D supplement orally. 

So it’s a no for me. The argument against sunscreen just doesn’t hold up.

The argument for sunscreen

This section will be pretty simple. That’s the thing I find with facts, they tend to be pretty simple and not require that much explaining. Skin cancer, sun exposure, and sunscreen use seem to fall into this.

The main arguments for sunscreen use are: 1) Unprotected exposure to the sun damages cells and increases risk of developing skin cancer, and 2) wearing sunscreen is an easy and highly effective way to greatly reduce the damage caused by sun exposure. 

There is quite a lot of evidence that increased and unprotected sun exposure is the leading cause of several types of skin cancers. And while individuals with darker natural pigmentation are less susceptible to this issue through traditional mechanisms, they are still at minor risk as well as at risk of other UV radiation and melanin interaction effects that can lead to increases in skin cancer.

The thing that most experts harp about when it comes to skin cancer is that it’s one of the only types of skin cancer where the known leading cause is entirely preventable. For skin cancer, the number one thing you can do to reduce your risk is to avoid unprotected sun exposure. 

There is quite a lot of evidence for the efficacy of sunscreen use in preventing sun damage and decreasing risk of skin cancers. Additionally, sunscreen is well understood to reduce the risk of aging skin related with sun exposure.

It is true that sunscreen is not your ONLY option for sun protection, and in fact, it may not even be the best. Sunscreen is definitely limited and because a lot of people don’t apply sunscreen often or well enough, they can get a false sense of security from having sloppily applied sunscreen once at the beginning of a lake day. 

The BEST methods of sun protection are to seek shade and to wear protective clothing that covers the skin and hats that shield the body from the sun. This is how people have protected themselves from sun damage for ages: more clothing and hats.

However, if you have exposed skin and cannot find shade, sunscreen is going to be a must. A combination of all these things is obviously going to be the best route to protect yourself from damaging UV. 

That’s really all I have to say about the argument FOR sunscreen. There’s heaps of evidence out there on both the risk of sun exposure and cancer development as well as the efficacy of sunscreen in preventing this. It’s as simple as that. 

The Whole FamiLee stance on sunscreen and recommendations for use

It should be pretty clear by now that I’m a proponent for sunscreen use as recommended by doctors, dermatologists, and your local skin care enthusiasts. Here are a couple things you may want to keep in mind when it comes to sunscreen use as well as some general recommendations for optimal protection. 

Proper application

One problem with sunscreen is that a lot of people don’t apply it properly. I discussed briefly a moment ago that sunscreen can pose a risk when individuals feel a false sense of security because they applied sunscreen, but then they’re in direct sunlight all day and didn’t actually apply well enough. 

Experts state that most adults need at least an ounce (think about a shot glass) of sunscreen to adequately cover their body. I would just say, in this case, less is not more. Apply sunscreen liberally. Pretend you’re super dry and just took a shower and you’re trying to make sure everything gets lotioned up. Apply sunscreen like that. A glob on every limb, your belly, your back, your neck. Don’t skip your face. 

Then ensure to reapply every 2 hours (or 1 hour if you're in the water) for as long as you’re in direct sun. 

I apply sunscreen to my face as part of my everyday skin care routine in the form of a tinted moisturizer. This is a great step toward protecting your skin on a daily basis. However, especially during the months of March through October, you’d do well to also apply a basic face sunscreen if you’re going into the sun during peak UV hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Or wear a good hat.

It’s also recommended to avoid spray sunscreens because the application tends to be uneven and lead to more sun damage because you think you’ve protected yourself. If you are going to use spray sunscreen, apply LIBERALLY and then take a second to rub it in.

A note about peak hours

The most important time to make sure you’re covered in sunscreen is going to be during those peak hours of 10-4, and especially between 11 and 2. If you wear sunscreen no other time, wear it then. 

Additionally, season does matter. When we are closer to the sun (the summer, whichever hemisphere you’re in), more UV radiation occurs. For this reason, I also think of the months like I think of the peak hours. 

During December and January, I’m pretty lax about sunscreen. I still wear my daily face sunscreen, but I don’t bother with whole-body application unless I’m going to be in the sun all day. I also don’t worry about putting sunscreen on my kids unless they’re going to be in the sun all day. Especially since we are all wearing more covering clothes most days. 

I am more mindful in November and February but still not that crazy about it. March and October I am pretty diligent but don’t sweat it too bad if I’m in a rush, overwhelmed, or don’t feel like fighting my child. April through September I am very diligent about all of this. July and August it’s pretty much non-negotiable. 

You get the drift. 

A note about kids

One of the things I see a lot in people who argue against sunscreen use is refusing to put sunscreen on their kids, opting to either use nothing or to use something like coconut oil, which provides almost no protection from the sun. 

Though you should be mindful of babies under 6 months because their skin is more permeable and sensitive, sunscreen application for kids should just (in my opinion based off all the things I’ve shared) be the norm. 

Kids’ skin is so much more sensitive to sun damage and they can suffer damage that will never be reversed. It’s our job as parents to protect them from dangers where we can. If you’re going to the effort to minimize plastic use and shop organic and all the other things I’m a huge advocate for… how about we also protect them from a very known, certain, and even likely cause of cancer. 

Sun damage is the #1 leading cause of skin cancer and it’s totally preventable. Let’s take care of our kids in this way. 

For vanity’s sake

If nothing else can convince you to use sunscreen, maybe concerns for aging can. Though it is an absolute fact that sun damage can cause cancer, and I will keep saying that, if you choose not to believe that or care, maybe you’ll care about your appearance. 

The sun undoubtedly causes skin to age more quickly (because of damage, the same damage leading to cancer, hello). 

Think about people who have tanned a lot and now have leathery, rough, very aged skin. Think about how the skin of the hands and face tend to get the most dry, discolored, and aged as we get older, because they see way more sun than any other part of us. Think about how the most covered parts of you are the most pristine of all your skin.

You can minimize the effects of sun damage to your skin very easily by wearing protective clothing, seeking shade, and using sunscreen, and you’ll likely have much younger looking skin for much longer.

Summary / TLDR

The main arguments against sunscreen use are: 1) the chemicals in sunscreen are carcinogenic or endocrine disruptors and can cause health issues, 2) sunscreen keeps you from getting enough direct sun exposure to get adequate vitamin D, 3) you can train your skin to make more melanin, which will keep you from getting skin damage and cancer, and 4) good diet and hydration will prevent sun damage to skin.

Review the section for more information on each of these claims, but there’s simply not enough evidence for these claims and/or there are very simple solutions to these issues. 

The main arguments for sunscreen use are: 1) Unprotected exposure to the sun damages cells and increases risk of developing skin cancer, and 2) wearing sunscreen is an easy and highly effective way to greatly reduce the damage caused by sun exposure. 

When I make decisions, I have to follow what there’s actual evidence for. There’s tons of evidence in the pro-sunscreen camp and a lot of hearsay in the against-sunscreen camp. 

Any amount of damage that could possibly come from avobenzone or similar chemicals has nowhere near the statistical likeliness of causing cancer that sun damage does. They are just such separate things. Additionally, there are SO MANY chemical free, completely safe mineral sunscreens out there (like this one that I love!) that there’s really no reason not to protect yourself from the sun. And if you really can’t get enough vitamin D while protecting yourself from the sun, you can take a vitamin D supplement. 

If nothing else, try to wear sunscreen regularly during the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., especially between the months of April and September. Supplement with protective clothing and seeking shade where you can’t be bothered to put sunscreen on, or better yet, combine the two.

If you’re interested in some recommendations on some great and safe sunscreens, that’ll be coming in a post soon. 

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