What if the very thing you’re told will protect you from skin cancer is actually contributing to it?
Most people slather on sunscreen believing it prevents melanoma and other skin cancers — but emerging research and toxicology reports paint a different picture.
Many conventional sunscreens contain chemical filters like oxybenzone, octinoxate, and avobenzone, which are endocrine disruptors that can absorb into the bloodstream within hours of application.
Some of these compounds have been linked to cellular damage and hormone imbalances.
When you use these products, you block UVB (burn) but not UVA (deep tissue harm), making you still susceptible to cellular damage but unable to recognize when it’s happening.
At the same time, our culture has created a fear of the sun, causing widespread vitamin D deficiency — a critical nutrient for health.
Ironically, safe, moderate sun exposure may be protective against skin cancer, while excessive reliance on chemical sunscreens is doing more harm than good.
And let’s be clear: skin cancer rates have continued to rise despite decades of public sunscreen campaigns. Melanoma incidence has increased significantly over the past 50 years:
In 1975, the melanoma rate in the U.S. was around 7.9 cases per 100,000 people.
As of 2020, it had increased to 24.3 cases per 100,000 people — a 200%+ increase.
It’s time to stop blindly trusting industry-backed health advice and start understanding the full picture.
Sunlight is not your enemy. Toxic products are.
As a rule of thumb: stay in the sun only until your skin starts to warm and turn the faintest shade of pink — then cover up, move to the shade, or head inside.
This helps you build a natural tolerance over time without burning or damaging the skin.
follow @andrewkaufmanmd for more
source