Does sunscreen cause skin cancer? Doctors deny claims on social media

Some social media claims about sun safety have turned into a major misconception that sunscreen could cause skin cancer.

Hundreds of creators, many on TikTok, have posted videos claiming that the sun is not the culprit in causing cancer, but that harmful chemicals in sunscreens are to blame.

This follows a 2021 recall of Neutrogena spray sunscreens and one Aveeno product (Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen) due to the presence of benzene, a known carcinogen.

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Johnson & Johnson officials confirmed that benzene is not a sunscreen ingredient, according to an advisory from Harvard Medical School in October 2021.

Additional testing reportedly found that the benzene content in these products is so low that it is not expected to cause health problems.

Johnson & Johnson's Neutrogena Beach Defense bottles are displayed on a table. The Neutrogena Beach Defense is one of the sunscreens that was recalled because it contained benzene. (Aimee Dilger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Experts recommended choosing a different sunscreen brand as a solution.

But a national survey by the Orlando Health Cancer Institute in Florida found that one in seven adults under 35 believe sunscreen is more harmful to the skin than direct sun exposure.

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Another 23% believe drinking water and staying hydrated can prevent sunburn.

“This phenomenon responds to the public's growing distrust of companies due to the proliferation of harmful chemicals in consumer products.”

Many Americans (32%) also believe that a tan makes people look better and healthier, the survey shows.

Rajesh Nair, MD, an oncology surgeon at Orlando Health Cancer Institute, noted in a press release that there is “no such thing as a healthy tan.”

According to the Orlando Health Cancer Institute survey, 32 percent of Americans believe that a tan makes people look better and healthier. (iStock)

“It's really just a visual manifestation of damage to the skin,” he said. “But we are fighting the perceived positive image and health benefits of something that actually has a completely opposite reality, namely that tanned skin puts you at increased risk of a fatal disease.”

“Age, gender and phenotype also play a role.”

Krista Rubin, a nurse and member of the Mass General Cancer Center Melanoma Team, told Fox News Digital that there is “little evidence to support the claim that sunscreens are carcinogenic.”

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“There is clear evidence linking UV exposure to skin cancer,” she wrote in an email. “However, the risk of developing skin cancer is not limited to exposure to UV radiation; age, gender and phenotype also play a role.”

Men are at greater risk of developing skin cancer, Rubin said, as are people with blonde or red hair, fair skin or light eyes.

man applies sunscreen to his shoulder on the beach

According to experts, sunburn is caused by damage from the sun's UV rays. (iStock)

Other risk factors include having a suppressed immune system, having had a solid organ transplant, or taking certain medications.

Rubin reiterated that sunburn is caused by the sun's UV rays damaging the skin. Although drinking water in hot weather helps prevent dehydration and keeps the body cool, it does not prevent sunburn.

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“A tan is visible evidence of skin damage,” said the expert. “Whether it's from the sun or a tanning bed, tanning exposes the skin to high levels of UVA radiation, which we know is unhealthy and linked to both skin cancer and accelerated aging.”

Social media expert Eric Dahan, founder of Mighty Joy, said she believes social media is “full of sunscreen misinformation.”

Peeling of the skin on the shoulder after sunburn

“A tan is visible evidence of skin damage,” said one expert. (iStock)

“It is often spread by well-meaning, but generally uninformed, self-proclaimed health and wellness experts and select dermatologists,” says Dahan, who lives in California.

“Much of the misinformation is due to the fact that actual science is less compelling and more nuanced than bold (false) statements.”

The spread of false information about sunscreen reflects a “general public sentiment” about what the products contain, Dahan said.

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“This phenomenon responds to the public's growing distrust of companies due to the proliferation of harmful chemicals in consumer products,” he said.

“Over the years we have discovered that materials that were considered 'safe' are very harmful – from lead, BPA, PFaS and now plastics.”

woman and man spraying sunscreen in a kayak

A rise in cancer rates among young people could create a 'distrust of companies', an expert has noted. (iStock)

There has also been a rise in cancer cases among young people, Dahan said, further fueling a “healthy mistrust of companies and government agencies.”

“When it comes to sunscreen, it appears that much of the misinformation stems from an old chemical that was used decades ago and has since been banned after a contamination led to a recall,” he said.

Among social media consumers, Dahan suggested that it is “very difficult to determine what is true if you are not an expert.”

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“There are conflicting studies, conflicting opinions from seemingly credible individuals, outright false information and an overall lack of trust in the private companies that make these products and in government regulators,” he said.

Some experts – including Dr. Nicky Gazy, a board-certified dermatologist in Florida – have taken to social media to recommend using sunscreen alternatives that do not contain benzene.