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

[isitafad]

I think that the rate of prevention is far far greater than this possible causation. Have you read some evidence-based literature? I wouldn't base your decision on what people have just told you, because we know that excessive radiation from the sun causes skin cancer.

[isitafad]

http://www.cancerwa.asn.au/resources/cancermyths/sunscreen-cancer-myth

[lintilla]

It should be noted that the Cancer Council does have a bit of a vested interest here, as they sell their own line of sunscreens. Not invalidating the third-party research they're presenting (and I tend to err on the side of MOAR SUNSCREEN as sunburns are pretty nasty, especially down here), but just a caveat.

(Also I wonder how much the Vitamin D thing holds true in farther north areas where the ozone layer is nice and thick...)

[noveldevice]

Depends on how far north--where I live it's nearly impossible to actually get enough Vitamin D from sun exposure alone. :) A lot depends on latitude.

[largecoffee]

[rocza]

The Good Guide has a really nice list of what's in various sunscreens, and evidence-based medicine behind the ratings, etc.

As others have mentioned, oxybenzone and vitamin A are the big offenders. The other thing to worry about is nanoparticles. While there isn't conclusive evidence one way or another, we do know that the properties of a substance change when we move down to that level - and we're basically doing large scale, human subjects testing to see what the result is.

Personally, I know, that with my so white I glow in blacklight skin, the risk is greater if I don't wear sunblock. I try to make wise choices on the sunblock I do buy, but in a risk/benefit situation, right now the clear benefit comes down on wearing sunblock for all but my daily 15 to generate vitamin D.

[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

[stainedfeathers]

Possibly damned if you do but much more likely damned if you don't- certainly much more likely and more peeling and painful if you don't. If I were you, I'd wear sunscreen, even if it had known carcinogens (which is uncertain and unproven and far less likely to give you cancer than exposure to sun without it)- I'm not terribly fond of sunburns and my mother works in the medical field. I can go without ending up as one of her patients with skin cancer from too much sun and be quite happy. Further, I have to say I agree with the other posters, especially itsafad. Reed some good peer reviewed articles on the subject and don't just go by "what you've heard"- another name for hearsay is often "B.S."