While we love TikTok for its beauty tutorials and hacks, there's a worrying trend emerging encouraging users to ditch sunscreen in favour of natural alternatives or going without any protection whatsoever.
Certain self-proclaimed ‘wellness’ experts (who have absolutely zero medical training or, by the sounds of things, much common sense) are using the hashtag #antisunscreen posting content on TikTok about the toxic ingredients in SPF products and urging their followers to either make their own versions out of mayonnaise (not advised) or to simply lap up the ‘healing benefits of the sun’ instead (ditto).
The anti-sunscreen movement on TikTok
TikToker Shannon Fairweather is very vocal about not using sunscreen and tells her followers “I refuse to block the skin from the healing rays of the sun.” The TikToker talks of the “natural things” she does to protect her skin. She says she uses coconut oil instead of sunscreen, which, according to her “works about 30% as well as sunscreen does except you're not slathering yourself in chemicals.”
Another TikToker @ShesNatural spoke about being #antisunscreen in a post, telling her followers that it “blocks all the nourishing benefits of the life giver of our planet that regulates our bodily processes.” Another user, @emselement shares a video that claims “skin cancer is a relatively new phenomenon in the last 60 years or so and yet our ancestors for 100s of years had been living outdoors working outdoors - they didn't get skin cancer.”
Why is this anti-SPF message so worrying?
Leading cosmetic surgeon and skin cancer expert Dr Paul Banwell, tells GLAMOUR: “This anti-sunscreen message is extremely worrying because by encouraging people not to wear SPF you are putting them at risk of sun damage, sunburn, and skin cancer.”
Dr. Banwell adds: "I advise people to avoid this trend of making their own sun protection at all costs, and instead to incorporate a high factor broad spectrum SPF into their daily skincare routine, regardless of the weather. This will not only protect against the sun’s rays which can cause premature ageing, wrinkles, and skin cancer, but also protect against the UVB rays that are given out from computer screens, mobile phones and laptops which can cause premature ageing.
"It’s important to keep applying your SPF regularly and don’t forget areas such as the scalp, which you can cover with a hat if you prefer. Hands and feet are often areas that are forgotten, so ensure that these receive a high factor SPF too.
"The NHS recommends an SPF of at least 30 to protect yourself. Personally, I would use SPF 50. Regardless of the SPF, it’s important to apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside and to reapply it every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating. A high SPF should not lead to a false sense of security – it will not protect you from burning. A higher SPF does not mean you need to re-apply it less often. Sunscreens with high SPF ratings block slightly more UVB rays, but none offer 100 percent protection.’
Skin cancer is not a new phenomenon and cases are set to double over the next decade
“Our ancestors were not fine and skin cancer is not a new phenomenon, but rather that medical and scientific research and advances mean that we now know more about the impact that sun damage can have on our skin than ever before,” says . He adds: "Indeed, there are around 2,300 melanoma skin cancer deaths in the UK every year, and Melanoma skin cancer is the 20th most common cause of cancer death in the UK, accounting for 1% of all cancer deaths (2017-2019).
"It’s not just the risk of melanoma either, but all skin cancers that need to be protected against. The main types of which are melanoma, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma, (SCC), and Merkel Cell carcinoma (MCC). BCC is the most common type of non-melanoma skin cancer worldwide.
"Worryingly, skin cancer cases are expected to double in the next 10 years and estimates suggest 1 in 4 people in the UK are at risk of getting skin cancer in their lifetime. It’s important not to estimate the importance of protecting our skin from the sun.
“We are fortunate to have access to lots of extremely effective SPF products which, when used properly, will help to protect skin against damage from the sun’s harmful rays, mitigating conditions such as sunburn, pigmentation, sun spots, and skin cancer and ultimately helping to save lives.”
Is there any truth in the claim that sunscreen is full of toxic chemicals?
“Chemical sunscreen works by absorbing UV rays and changing them into heat, then releasing that heat from the skin. Mineral sunscreens work by sitting on top of the skin to form a shield. They scatter damaging UV rays away from the skin,” says Dr. Banwell
He adds: "I would rather people wear any sunscreen than none at all but I would always opt for a mineral sunscreen where possible. Although I do appreciate they are more expensive, mineral sunscreens are free from chemicals, and are therefore less likely to aggravate sensitive skin, eczema, or other skin conditions. They biodegrade in the water so are safe for marine life, too.
"I would avoid sunscreens containing oxybenzone, octinoxate, avobenzone, benzophenones, cinnamates and dibenzoylmethane. Oxybenzone is one of the most commonly used ingredients in chemical SPFs. It’s easily absorbed by the skin and enters the bloodstream. It can disrupt your hormones, as well as cause terrible harm to the environment. I would also avoid SPF products with retinyl palmitate, a vitamin A derivative.
"In terms of the different types of sunscreens, the "broad-spectrum" label indicates that a sunscreen protects from both UVA and UVB rays
"The sun protection factor (SPF) shows the degree of sunburn protection offered, however, this is only for UVB rays, and there is no specific rating for UVA rays.
"The SPF value indicates the amount of UVB radiation exposure it takes to cause sunburn when using a sunscreen compared with how much UVB exposure it takes to cause sunburn without any skin protection.
“So if you wear SPF 50, you can expect it to take 50 times longer to burn than if you were not wearing anything. An SPF 15 offers protection from 93 percent of UVB rays, whereas SPF 50 offers 98 percent protection of UVB rays. Sunscreens with high SPF ratings block slightly more UVB rays than those with low ratings, but none offer 100% protection. In addition, it's important to note that a higher SPF does not mean that the product can be reapplied less often.”
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