Have you ever heard someone say there are harmful chemicals in sunscreen? Maybe they even went as far as saying those chemicals will give you cancer? We’ve heard it too, and we want to set the record straight.
Here at the Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation, we get many questions while running our Sun Safety Education program from concerned parents or students about the ingredients in sunscreens.
A big one in the media lately is the evidence of benzene contamination in our sunscreen. But, as always, there is more to the story.
The National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health published an article, “Benzene contamination in sunscreen: Not worth getting burned”, that tells the whole story, but here are the coles notes.
Is there benzene in sunscreen? The answer is yes and no. No, it isn’t meant to be there, but sometimes trace elements can get into it (and other products) during the manufacturing process.
So does the benzene in sunscreen give you cancer? The answer to that one is a resounding no. The trace amounts sometimes found in sunscreen aren’t absorbed by our skin enough to give a person cancer.
Do you know what can give you cancer? The sun! So using sunscreen, or other forms of sun safety, to protect your skin will stop you from getting cancer a lot faster than not wearing that sunscreen.
If you want to avoid chemical sunscreen at all costs, consider mineral sunscreens that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as their active ingredients. They sit on top of the skin and reflect UV rays, rather than being absorbed.
Still don’t want to wear sunscreen? That doesn’t mean you still can’t practice sun safety! There are so many other ways to protect yourself:
- You can also avoid sun exposure between 10am and 4pm (or check that UV index)
- Cover your skin with long sleeves, pants, sunglasses and a hat
- Take breaks from the sun by hanging out in some shade (or bringing it with you. Umbrella anyone?)
And remember, use reputable sources to get scientific information!