New online trend to say it's better not to wear sunscreen

[Mummabear04]

Has anyone else come across this? People claiming sunscreen is carcinogenic and that you shoud never use it. These people are not even putting it on their kids?! Am I the only one who thinks this is absolute madness?

Yeah it's nuts.
Obviously if you've got the money then go for a sunscreen that's got the least harmful ingredients...
I'm poor and I just buy whatever lidl has and I'm sure it's not the greatest thing to be sinking into your skin all the time.. however I'm also sure it's ALOT better than what sunburn does to your skin

Of course you should avoid direct sunlight where possible but you can still burn.
No way would I let my kids go out on a sunny day without suncream all over them.

You can easily supplement vitamin d, you can’t easily deal with skin cancer.

Gosh how true. Sick of people getting their health and nutrition advice from social media influencers with zero scientific evidence or qualifications

Another point of view here.
I live in Southern Europe, lots of UK and Irish visitors to the area.
Twice this week alone Ive seen people who have severe sunburn. One in the Pharmacy and one on the beach . Neither used sunscreen. Its madness.

It would be 1000x better for the environment if people just dressed and acted appropriately.

(Another exhibit in the argument that humans are never going to put species above self).

I think if it's particular sunny then a little bit of sunscreen when its at its most high. But I'm also not a believers of covering up with sunscreen all the time. Most people in the UK are vit D deficient. Lack of vit d can result in many different diseases. I have MS. There is also a higher number of people with MS further from the equator. Vit D deficiency and its related diseases (including certain types of cancer) should be taken as seriously as Skin cancer.

Up in Scotland people are advised to take vitamin D supplements over the winter months. Vitamin D | NHS inform https://share.google/mruIfBSqZJnGMU2PH

I absolutely hate the feeling of suncream so greasy. I've always went with covering up, hats, glasses, shade and staying out of the sun at its peak. On holiday or hot weather like now if I am wearing a skirt and little top then I will use suncream and put it on the kids when they were younger. So a bit of a mix really. Would be interested in more natural suncream if anyone has a link?

Interesting and thought provoking thread.

It’s not a new thing, but those that don’t use sunscreen make sure their kids are covered up and don’t got outside when the suns at its hottest, which is much safer than sending kids outside with sunscreen and shorts and Tshirt, thinking that they are being safe.

Just yesterday evening I saw a young woman going home from a day of sunbathing on the beach. Not in Southern Europe but in this 'heatwave' we've been having here.

She was so badly burned over her whole body that at first I thought she was wearing pink leggings. Her legs, her arms, her shoulders, her back. All glowing red. I felt sore just looking at her. She'll have been in agony last night, tossing and turning but not finding an inch of her body which wasn't burned.

I did that once but learned my lesson well!

I use the Yuka app and found one that has no nasties in it.

This. Most Brits are Vit D deficient. I almost never used sunscreen on my very fair DC and I never use it myself. I'm also fair. We need the Vit D. DC only ever had it on the tips of their noses and ears and over their shoulders when very young on beaches. But once they were school age, they'd cover up with tees and hats once the sun was too strong. Otherwise, getting a bit of sun on skin and Vit D was good for them. I had lots of friends and family who thought I was mad but DC never got burned. Nor do I. I've been outside most of today - bare arms. Caught a touch of sun - not much - certainly not burned. I need the Vit D badly.

Exactly. All those posts where people are talking like the "best " parenting is to have your children out all day covered in suncream. But I have always quietly judged people who didn't organise their day to be put of the worst of the sun when necessary. There's a reason most Mediterranean countries have a siesta.

I do use suncream on my children, but in priority order ahead of that

• we stay inside wherever possible for the hours in the middle of the day
• if we have to be out all day sometimes (rare) we would be looking for shade/covering up
• suncream is the third line of defence not the first!

I live a very hippy part of the country and there's a LOT of it here.

They're always bright red and aging like raw milk

Surely vitamin D deficiency is caused by the lack of UV in the winter months. I can't imagine applying suncream is a big factor.

It's utterly ridiculous and just the latest health conspiracy theory. Sure, if you're slathering suncream on your whole body multiple times a day 365 days a year then the risk might be slightly higher. But there's no scientific evidence that suncream is more risky than sun exposure. I see a lot of people recommending Ultrasun as an alternative but it's failed Which's UVA test.

I don’t get why people are so adverse to supplementing given you’re not getting any meaningful amount from October - March
plus if you work inside you’re also not getting any then so that leaves weekends
my level was 9 and it took a high dose course and months of taking 4000IU daily to get it to 66. My friend works outside all year round and was deficient

I strongly suspect “natural” suncream is only different in the marketing.

the active ingredient will be the same- no amount of aloe or chamomile will protect you from the sun. Then it’s just a carrier cream, which again, will be the same, maybe just “vitamin C” instead of “ascorbic acid” etc.

personally I think if you’re slathering petroleum on your skin daily anyway - most creams and emollients are petroleum based- sunscreen won’t be much worse.

i saw an ad for “non toxic” sunscreen yesterday, because of course toxic ones get past h&s and all the testing 🙄

I spent a summer, working in a holiday camp shop in the early 80s. Never seen so much sunburn in my life, southern England.
Also us pale skinned people need sunscreen or we just fry. Factors 30-50 normally, in summer.

Hahahaha - not needed in the UK? Complete fallacy. Just go to the beach on a hot day and look at people. Sunburn everywhere. Less now than in the 60s, admittedly.

I don't think this is true. I looked up 'Common locations for skin cancers'
That’s why the cancer is most common on areas of the skin regularly exposed to the sun, including the face, neck, scalp, shoulders, back and ears.
ExDp's father fought in Africa in WW2. 20 yrs later had scalp lesion problems because of all the sun.

I’m the same. Rarely use it in the UK.

I lived in the south of France by the sea when I was a child and teenager.

We could always spot the German and British tourists: they were the ones who had bad sunburns because they were silly enough to not use sunscreen, hats and sunglasses when lying on the beach for hours.

@megatwat · 20/06/2025 12:48
I never use it in the UK it is not needed and yes the chemicals are not good for you, i have vit D deficiency

Of course it is needed in the UK on sunny days...

It is only needed if you are going to be outside, in the sun and with exposed skin. I cover up, stay in the shade and avoid the peak times. I don't need sunscreen unless I'm doing something exceptional. In this heat I'm up dog walking at 5.30am, last walk at 10, 11 pm. I'm not going to burn in the 5 minutes I might be outside in a long sleeve top at midday

What about these chemicals:

ergocalciferol
lumisterol
cholecalciferol
22-dihydroergocalciferol
sitocalciferol.

these are all toxic to dogs on skin exposure and ingestion.

Have you checked the chemicals on your shower gel, shampoo, toothpaste, body cream, moisturiser, every item of food and drink you consume? Do you check the lead levels in the air you breathe or the airborne pesticides in any fields you walk through?