Posts on social media have recently pop up, claiming that applying sunscreen allegedly increases the risk of skin cancer. Even though ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the main cause of melanoma, and the sunscreen helps in protecting the skin by filtering UV rays, these posts claim that sunscreen is damaging.
claim: “It is an indisputable fact that the country which uses most sunscreen has the most phenomena of skin cancer,” This x userIn a post with 60,000 followers. “And the more sunlight they use, the more prevalent.” So there are Tiktok videoWarning about sunscreen.
DW fact check: Untrue
“There is no scientific evidence that supports the association of sunscreen use with high risk of cancer,” with Britney Shefer, Public Information Officer Connectic State Department of Public HealthTold DW.
The X Post blamed the Chart to the Connecticut Tumor Registry (CTR), but Shefer says it was wrong.
He said, “The original cancer phenomenon data prefers from the CT tumor registry decades ago, but not additional text box about sunscreen. We do not know the source of real graphic, but not from CTR or connecticat depression of public health,” she said.
More sunscreen, more melanoma cases?
But why is the number of global skin cancer cases increasing, even though more and more people are using sunscreen? A Studies in many countries since December 2023Five hypotheses to get to the bottom of this to include scientists from America, Switzerland, Germany and Hungary.
According to the study, the risk of skin cancer risk and the protection of the sun include misunderstanding and possible causes of myths include access access diagnostics and methods of treatment, chronic scientific studies, irregular use of sunscreen and climate change.
Global event rate: Australia in lead
Reporting and documentation cases have increased due to increasing awareness about the risk of skin cancer between the two patients and doctors. The World Health Organization says that unlike the incidence of high skin cancer worldwide, the mortality rate has fallen due to better treatment options. International Agency for Research on Cancer.
As World Cancer Research Fund, Australia had the highest age-standard event rate of new cases in 2022: 37 new skin cancer cases per year per year, followed by Denmark (31.1), Norway (30.6), New Zealand (29) and Sweden (27.4).
The US was in the first place in 2022 with 101,388 cases in total number of skin cancer cases, while Germany stood second with 21,976 skin cancer cases, with a similar incident rate of 16.5.
In terms of the death toll of skin cancer in 2022, the US again took lead with 7.368 deaths, while Germany ranked the forehrian with 3.303 cases behind China and Russia. The following graph is shown that a high phenomenon rate of skin cancer is not necessarily corresponding to high mortality.
Spend more time in old studies and sunlight
Another reason for the rate of increasing skin cancer can be the fact that people spend more time out in the sun. Even if they apply sunscreen, it was no guarantee that they use it to protect their skin.
The lack of current scientific studies further combines the problem of strengthening the old narratives. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began regulating sunscreen only in 2011. All prior studies checking the use of sunscreen and the possibility of development of melanoma were organized with products that did not present the same protection to the same people in the market.
Sunscreen as an attractive market
But are people actually using more sunscreen in countries with the highest rate of skin cancer cases like New Zealand, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Canada and America, as claimed by social media users?
It is true that global sales of sunscreen are increasing. And according to Sunscreen industry, The revenue of the Global Sun Protection Skin Care is expected to reach $ 13,553 million (€ 11,594 million) by 2028. The largest markets are America, followed by China and South Korea.
And then the question is how people are using sunscreen. As Australian Bureau of Statistics, In 38% of people, 15 years and above people said that they used SPF30 or higher in most days in the last month.
However, 7% said that he had experienced sunburn in the last week. Youths of 15–24 years of age were more likely to experience sunburn in last week (about 15%).
Sunscreen is often used only on holiday
A vote in america TalkerPublished in May this year, it was found that half of 2,000 adults (less than 41%) said they wear sunscreen over 60 days a year. And 13% said that they are not uniquely.
In Germany, about half people asked Online poll from August 2024 Said that they can use sunscreen only in summer or can be whey directly in the sun.
Sybillle Kohlstädt, a spokesman for the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), warns against false conclusions due to lack of valid data about sun protection.
“Unlike existing figures on the increasing global spread of skin cancer, there are no country-specific data that breaks the use of suncon and related to the spread of skin cancer.”
This article was adapted by Sara Stephen.
Edited by: Rachel
