In an age of social media falsehoods, it’s perhaps no surprise that sunscreen, a summertime staple, is now having its own moment in the virtual sun – withering under the haze of online misinformation.
As The New York Times reports, multiple surveys indicate a distributing trend among younger adults who seem to be “slacking on sun safety,” due to myths they encounter online about sunscreen and skin cancer.
“These myths do proliferate, and they often get more views than the accurate information that's out there,” said Caroline Hopkins, a reporter who recently reported on sunscreen for the Times. “There's a lot of people that call themselves experts, who don't have any credentials.”
Speaking on Connecticut Public’s “Where We Live,” Hopkins cited a recent survey conducted by the American Academy of Dermatology, which found 37% of 18- to 26-year olds said they only wore sunscreen when someone nagged them about it. Another poll found more than one in 10 adults under 35 believed the myth that wearing sunscreen everyday is more harmful than direct sun exposure.
Myths about so-called “base tans” providing protection from the sun also perpetuate falsely online, said Dr. Kelly Olino, an assistant professor of surgical oncology at Yale School of Medicine.
“After you have your base tan, that’s already damaged skin,” Olino said. “So you're actually more susceptible to additional skin damage than what you were before.”
That damage can include a variety of skin cancers, including squamous cell cancers, basal cell carcinomas and melanoma.
While sunscreen isn’t your only defense – shade and wide-brimmed hats can also provide protection from the sun – it’s a crucial way to keep your skin safe, Olino said.
“The important things are SPF at least of 30 or above, and apply it every two hours – and more often if you're sweating or going in the water,” Olino said.
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Connecticut Public’s Tess Terrible and Catherine Shen contributed to this report.
