ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A TikTok trend that led many to believe sunscreen contains harmful chemicals is drawing backlash from health and skin experts in Rockford.
“Not only are burns bad, but constant exposure to UV rays is bad,” says Dr. LaKimely Coates of Rockford Dermatology, “and we now know that these two things increase your risk of melanoma, including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. All of these cancers, but especially squamous cell carcinoma, are increasing in incidence, which is the most deadly type of skin cancer.”
Coates said sunscreen was one of the best options for protecting one’s health, but this advice has been called into question on social media recently after some influencers claimed the products could cause cancer.
Dr. Haley Ralph, a physician with OSF, said the claims focus on chemical sunscreens that contain ingredients such as oxybenzone and homosalate.
“Some of the criticism is that maybe it somehow gets absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream, or maybe because it’s a chemical type of sunscreen, or maybe there’s some effect in the long term. And right now, as far as we know, when it comes to chemical sunscreens, the scientific data doesn’t tell us anything good or bad,” Ralph said.
Both Coates and Ralph said choosing not to use sunscreen altogether is far more dangerous than using a chemical-based sunscreen, and they both recommend using a mineral-based sunscreen if you’re worried about chemical-based products.
“Mineral-based sunscreens are great because they contain minerals like titanium and zinc that don’t get absorbed by the skin,” Coates says. “So they act as a barrier or physical block. Basically, the UV rays just bounce off of them.”
Coates said choosing a sunscreen that has zinc, titanium or a combination of both as its main ingredient is safe and effective for all ages.
