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Some social media stars are promoting the idea that sunscreens “cause cancer,” and one of them, Jerome Tan, for example, calls on his nearly 400,000 followers to “regularly be exposed to the sun.”
Some social media celebrities post video clips that have received millions of views about “homemade” sunscreen recipes, for example, which are based on mixing beef fat, avocado butter, and beeswax.
In the video clip that he published, which was widely circulated on TikTok, with more than 430,000 views, Jerome Tan told his subscribers, without any scientific basis, that eating natural foods allows the body to “create its own protection from the sun’s rays.” Some social media celebrities earn a lot of money from these trends, even though they often lack any academic qualifications in this field.
Therefore, dermatologists want to dispel this myth that regular exposure to the sun is good for health.
While the United States is witnessing a wave of record temperatures, this false information is worrying experts who see it as a real danger, as it undermines public health advice in this area, at a time when there is a recorded increase in skin cancer cases.
A poll conducted this year by the Cancer Institute in Orlando showed that about one in 7 American adults under the age of 35 believe that daily use of sunscreen is more harmful to health than direct exposure to sunlight. About a quarter of those surveyed believed that keeping the body hydrated helps prevent sunburn.
“People have a lot of dangerous ideas,” noted Rajesh Nair, an oncology surgeon at this Florida institute.
Another poll showed that 75% of Americans use sunscreen regularly, a decrease of four points compared to 2022.
These results intersect with other trends that reflect the general public’s lack of confidence in public health advice, most notably vaccines and combating the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dermatologist and professor at the University of Wisconsin, Daniel Bennett, told Agence France-Presse that "tanning without risk does not exist."
He stated that "the evidence proving that exposure to ultraviolet radiation is the main cause of skin cancer is overwhelming."
Other experts stressed that most of the false or misleading content on social networks comes from a number of celebrities seeking to achieve financial gain.
Eric Dahan, founder of network celebrity marketing agency Mighty Joy, told Agence France-Presse that some of these stars are taking advantage of "skepticism about sunscreens" in order to "sell their own products."
He cited an Instagram post advising against “constantly applying sunscreen ointments,” while at the same time promoting skin care products.
Burns, aging and cancer
This post included the following phrase, accompanied by many emojis: “Say goodbye to paranoia against the sun.” He added: "This summer, catch some rays (without feeling guilty)."
Another influencer on Instagram, who posted a photo of himself without a shirt on a surfboard, urged his subscribers to give up sunscreen.
“Am I worried about skin cancer?” he added, touting the benefits of beef tallow.
But Texas dermatologist Megan Boinnot Couvillion explained that this product, which is made by melting beef fat, does not have any properties that would make it block ultraviolet rays.
“I don't see a problem using it on the skin as a softener, but certainly not as sun protection,” she said.
The American Academy of Dermatology confirmed that home-made sunscreen products “lack effective protection against the sun,” which exposes their users to the risk of burns, premature skin aging, and cancer.
Although some of these recipes include some familiar ingredients in sunscreen products, such as zinc oxide, the vast majority of the public does not have the necessary techniques to test the benefits of these mixtures against ultraviolet rays at home, according to Adam Friedman, a professor at George Washington University School of Medicine. .
It's simply impossible for anyone to make good sunscreen "in their basement," Friedman said.
Happynass View: Bottom line, Social media bloggers are not medical references to stop using sunscreen or other products to protect us from the sun. It is important to remember that scientists and medical researchers are putting in a lot of time and effort to produce the best products, tested and efficient, and we have to be careful when we use or refrain from any other products.
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