TimoRecently, social media influencers have spread the idea that sunscreen is bad for your health as part of an “anti-sunscreen” trend, according to University of Alberta faculty of law professor Timothy Caulfield.
Also the research director of the U of A’s Health Law Institute (HLI) and a professor in the School of Public Health, Caulfield has recently begun to target sunscreen misinformation.
Natural sunscreen influencers are “pushing a product,” Caulfield says
According to Caulfield, anti-sunscreen influencers make a variety of claims about the effects of sunscreen on one’s health. One myth Caulfield has seen is that sunscreen, not the sun, is what causes cancer.
“We’re seeing a lot of misinformation that sunscreen causes cancer. That the sun is good for you and doesn’t cause cancer,” Caulfield said. Another claim is that “wearing sunscreen will mean you don’t get the necessary vitamin D.”
Caulfield has also seen the myth that “if you eat a carnivore diet you don’t need sunscreen, which is completely absurd.” According to Caulfield, these claims are “patently false.”
Caulfield has found that much of the misinformation is circulating from social media influencers. Specifically, wellness influencers and gurus have taken to informing the general public about the harmful effects of sunscreen, Caulfield said.
Often when an influencer recommends an alternative natural sunscreen, promoting that product benefits them, Caulfield said.
“They’re pushing a product. And it’s some product that’s not science-based and has no evidence to support it.”
Another claim Caulfield has seen is that “because the sun is natural, how could it be bad for you?” Caulfield explains this as “the appeal of nature,” but that “there’s a lot of things in nature that are horrible for us.”
Misinformation is everywhere on social media, Caulfield warns
According to the Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation (CSCF), “skin cancers could be virtually eliminated if people were aware of the dangers of overexposure to the sun’s harmful [ultraviolet] (UV) rays.” Annually 80,000 Canadians receive skin cancer diagnoses. The CSCF and Health Canada both recommend using sunscreen daily in all weather.
In place of social media, Caulfield recommends receiving health information from reputable sources.
“Go to cancer organizations that have statements on sunscreen.”
Caulfield is also a member of the group Science Up First, a Canadian organization that counters misinformation. The site contains information on sunscreen-related myths as well as other misinformation circulating online.
Beyond sunscreen, Caulfield’s advice is to go to trusted sources if you hear something on the internet that doesn’t feel right. He also recommends being “more skeptical” when you see trends like this come across your feed. “You should recognize that very often, they’re selling something,” Caulfield said.
