DETROIT – Social media -- TikTok in particular -- is full of influencers doling out medical advice. Unfortunately, it’s hard to know when it’s sound information or bad advice
In the case of sunscreen -- some of the advice being given on these platforms has doctors particularly concerned because in many cases, it’s just plain wrong.
Whether it’s decreasing the risk of skin cancer or simply stopping the sun’s effect on premature aging, we’ve made great strides in educating people on the importance of sunscreen or even wearing protective clothing and hats. Unfortunately, newer surveys show many of the youngest generations are getting a different message, putting their health at risk.
“We do know that sun exposure can cause sunburn, long term and repeated sun exposure as time goes on can result in skin cancer development,” said Dr. Henry Lim. “That is a known fact, very very strong scientific evidence on that.”
Lim, a dermatologist with Henry Ford Health, is concerned that many high-profile influencers have suggested it’s not natural to wear sunscreen or that sunscreen itself causes cancer. It’s a dangerous myth that needs to be corrected.
“There’s no evidence those chemicals would induce cancer,” Lim said. “It has been around for a long time. We have not seen any data to show that the absorption of those filters would result in any negative side effect.”
He said if you’re concerned about absorbing sunscreen chemicals, there’s a simple alternative.
“If they’re concerned about that, they can switch to use the so-called physical -- also known more popularly as mineral sunscreen,” Lim said. “Those we do know that they do not get absorbed into the bloodstream, so it stays on the surface of the skin.”
A couple of other myths that are making their way on social media that Lim addressed -- there’s one suggesting that if you just drink enough water you don’t need sunscreen. That’s false. Another is that taking certain supplements can replace sunscreen. While it is true that there are supplements that can decrease the effect of sunburn, there’s no evidence that they protect from sun damage.