Welcome to a new episode of Truth or Scare.

The claim on this episode is that sunscreen is harmful because it contains chemicals absorbed into your bloodstream that are linked to cancer and other health problems.

Some even go further, arguing that sunscreen is more dangerous than actual sun exposure.

Do these claims hold any water?

Let's get into it.

Skepticism of sunscreen isn't new, but it's really taken off in the last few years.

Some wellness influencers and celebrities have gone as far as saying that there's no proof that excess sun exposure is even harmful, or have argued that it's actually good for you and that covering up in any way prevents us from reaping its health benefits.

Now, there's a lot to say about that, but I'd like to focus on the more pervasive argument first, that sunscreen is inherently unhealthy for us.

When people say this, they're primarily talking about chemical sunscreen because there's actually two types.

One, chemical sunscreens, which work by absorbing cancer-causing UV rays from the sun and making them harmless.

These sunscreens are easy to rub in and dry invisibly.

Then there's mineral sunscreens, which create a physical barrier in your skin to deflect those UV rays.

These lotions are typically thicker and tend to leave behind white residue.

Naysayers single out, very specifically, chemical sunscreens because they're more likely to be absorbed through the skin.

And it is true that the active ingredients in chemical sunscreen, called filters, can be absorbed into the blood.

There's strong evidence of this from two FDA studies, which found that six chemical UV filters entered the blood and stayed there for days.

Some of these filters, including oxybenzone, have been linked to hormone disruption and altered kidney function.

Thus far, those effects have been found in animal research and in the most commonly cited of those research articles.

Rats consumed large quantities of oxybenzone in food.

And to reach that same level through sunscreen exposure, you'd need to apply it all over your body every day for 30 years.

But let's look at another filter, octocrylene.

When used in sunscreen, it naturally degrades into benzophenone, a chemical suspected to be carcinogenic.

In one study, researchers tested 16 different octocrylene based sunscreens and found benzophenone in all of them.

While some medical folks argue that it's only a small amount of chemicals and it's not clear what the risk actually is posed by the ingredient,

Yale dermatologist, Dr. Bunik says, we have a tendency in our society to say that it's such a small amount and therefore it's not harmful.

But the chronic buildup of these chemicals could have a cumulative effect.

Octocrylene has also caught the attention of environmental groups, linking it to coral bleaching damage.

The Hawaii State Senate has even gone as far as banning the ingredient, as well as petitioning the FDA for a complete national ban.

This is a big step forward for the protection of our coral reefs, marine life and human health.

It will be the first law passed, not only in the country, but in the entire world.

Look, before I give this claim a rating, let's lead with some basic facts.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the US.

It's also one of the most preventable.

The worst type is melanoma and most cases are caused by exposure to UV radiation.

No surprise here that the sun is the most common source of UV radiation.

Having five or more blistering sunburns between ages 15 and 20, increases your risk of melanoma by 80%.

This year alone, invasive melanoma is projected to be the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer for both men and women.

Even putting the cancer risk aside, think about your appearance.

Just getting burned or being tan often causes visible sun damage.

See, there are two types of UV rays, A and B.

UVA are considered aging rays.

While they don't necessarily cause burns, they break through the clouds and are responsible for things like wrinkles, leathery texture, and dark skin patches.

They're associated with an increased cancer risk, but not as much as UVB rays, which cause sunburns.

Some sunblocks don't even do a good job at protecting from UVA rays, so it's smart to take other precautions like going to the shade or covering up.

Pretty cool because there's actually clothing made specifically for sun protection, like swim shirts with UPF.

And UPF is a little different from the SPF you commonly see written on sunblocks.

In theory, SPF from sunblock measures how much longer you can be in the sun before your skin starts to turn red with sunscreen versus without.

But probably it's more accurate to say that it's a measurement of solar energy protection, mostly for the purposes of just comparing two different bottles.

So like an SPF 15 protects against 93% of UVB rays, and SPF 50 protects against 98%.

Now on the other hand, UPF measures how much UV radiation can get through a fabric to reach your skin.

A basic cotton t-shirt naturally has a UPF of five, blocking 80% of rays.

A specially designed UPF 50 sun shirt blocks 98% of UV rays.

That's pretty solid sun protection.

But is there such thing as too much sun protection?

There have been theories that lathering up and staying out of the sun can be harmful for our health, including hurting our vitamin levels.

While it's true that sunlight is a major source of vitamin D, a vital nutrient responsible for healthy living, you can actually get most of what you need from just 15-ish minutes of midday sun several times a week.

In fact, we don't even have evidence that wearing sunscreen impacts your vitamin D levels.

There's probably a few reasons for this.

One, people can get vitamin D from dietary sources like salmon and eggs.

Two, most people don't use enough sunscreen to fully prevent the absorption of UV rays.

So while the concern might sound logical and legit, it's just not backed by research.

We know that chemicals can be absorbed into the body and we know certain ones are linked to health issues.

But in reality, we're exposed to small amounts of chemicals all the time, so just saying chemicals are bad isn't really helpful.

It requires research to find the dose that makes the poison, and not just after one use, but cumulatively as well.

And that research is absolutely ongoing.

After releasing that 2020 study, the FDA called for more research on the effects of longer-term exposure to the chemicals and asked the sunscreen industry to provide more safety information on 12 of them.

It makes sense to push our government to create better regulations that reduce our overall exposure to chemicals that are potentially bad for us.

But at the end of the day, remember, you don't need to use chemical sunscreen at all.

There's the second type, mineral sunscreen, which is commonly recommended for young children and pregnant women.

The main ingredients in those are zinc and titanium oxide, and the FDA has reconfirmed that they are safe for general use and are free from the chemical controversy we just discussed.

Understandably, some don't like mineral sunscreens because they might leave some residue, and this is where I have some really harsh criticism for the US.

Many of the sunscreens sold here are just outdated.

In many other countries, including France and Japan, you can buy sunscreen with newer ingredients that seem to be safer and more protective against even UVA rays.

They aren't available here because of an old FDA rule that classifies sunscreen as a drug, which means it needs to be tested on animals before being approved for sale.

Thankfully, there's a new bill being passed in hopes of changing the animal testing requirement and speeding up approval.

Look, at the end of the day,

I wouldn't blame you if you wanna use sunscreen without certain chemical filters like octocrylene or oxybenzone.

There are still many options for quality sun protection, but to say that all sunblock is poison or that sun exposure is completely safe, that's a full-on lie.

The most important fact here is that while all these potential flags have been raised, we still do not have causal proof that chemical sunscreen causes cancer or any other health issues in humans.

But what we do know is that it prevents cancer.

That's why you won't find any credible expert who tells you to skip sunscreen entirely.

The standard recommendation endorsed by every legit organization is to wear water-resistant, broad-spectrum sunscreen that's 30 SPF or higher on a daily basis, even when it's cloudy.

On my one to 10 truth or scare scale, this claim gets a four.

Now, click here to check out a video of amazing lifeguard rescues.

And as always, stay happy and healthy.

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