a sunscreen dilemna...

[gotacola]

I've used a lot of sunscreen in my life because I have light skin (burns, won't tan) and am often outside playing sports in the middle of the day in summer time.  Now I'm starting to hear a lot of people say they don't use sunscreen anymore because it's now known to be carcinogenic

Comments

[malackey]

Just so you know, there are no peer-reviewed, published studies that conclusively link sunscreen use to cancer. None. There are a few studies that note that people that regularly use sunscreen are more likely to be diagnosed - but they come with the addendum that people that are regularly smearing sunscreen all over themselves are also more likely to be at-risk, and more likely to notice changes in their skin, leading to earlier diagnosis, and better rates for recovery.

The few ingredients, in some sunscreens, that have been touted as 'carcinogens' are kind of being tarred unfairly. Those ingredients are only a problems in concentrations you'd never get exposed to, even with the most over-zealous and enthusiastic use of sunscreen. As well, sunscreen tends to 'float' on the surface of the skin - where the tissue is dead. It doesn't penetrate deeply enough into the skin to get to living tissue, where it could cause problems.

There are many studies that link unprotected sun exposure to higher rates of certain cancers. If you're someone that is at-risk, and you don't like being burnt, I'd suggest you keep on using the sunblock.