How safe sunscreen really is?

[Jack.77]

So I had a bad sun burn the other week and i’ve since been regularly using factor 50 but despite the two brands being the more expensive types I seem to be getting a few spots since using them
I’m not convinced most of the market leading brands are that safe .reading online The usual argument is that any risk is greatly outweighed by the risk of potentially developing skin cancer but I’ve been wondering if this risk is potentially higher than people think .and why the formula hasn’t just been altered to be more natural with less chemicals
it’s already mentioned on the breast cancer .org website it can interfere with hormones causing cancer.
‘’While chemicals can protect us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays, research strongly suggests that at certain exposure levels, some of the chemicals in some sunscreen products may cause cancer in people’’

[Brainpox]

You need to make a choice. Sunscreen might have some chemicals in it that could cause cancer, 1 in 2 of us will get cancer at some point, how would you know the suncreen caused it?

The best solution is to avoid the sun altogether. Stay in shade where you can and keep covered when you can't.

All I know is out of all cancers, malignant melanoma is one of the nastiest. It'll spread to your brain and lymphatic system in no time and is directly linked to UV exposure.

[Jack.77]

Brainpox said:

You need to make a choice. Sunscreen might have some chemicals in it that could cause cancer, 1 in 2 of us will get cancer at some point, how would you know the suncreen caused it?

The best solution is to avoid the sun altogether. Stay in shade where you can and keep covered when you can't.

All I know is out of all cancers, malignant melanoma is one of the nastiest. It'll spread to your brain and lymphatic system in no time and is directly linked to UV exposure.

Yes it would probably be difficult to proof if a cancer was caused by using it .saying that It’s not impossible to make the direct link .With my work at the moment I’m in direct sun a lot so am caked in the stuff again today -

[Philrose]

I'm not an expert by any means but I had a malignant melanoma removed last autumn so am well aware of the dangers and possible safety measures.
I use SPF50 all day every day and my chosen product is made by Lifejacket - https://lifejacketskin.com/our-story/

I also wear high SPF clothing which is readily available if you look hard enough even for sports wear. Arguably clothing is better than cream as it is constantly protecting whereas creams should be reapplied every 2 hours.

A sobering statistic is that 2 out of 3 Australians will get some form of skin cancer by age 70.

https://actcancer.org/prevention/sunsmart/skin-can...

( The story of skin cancer in Australia began over 200 years ago when the first fair-skinned Europeans settled on the shores of Sydney Harbour in 1788.

At least 2 in 3 Australians will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer before the age of 70.1 The risk is higher in men than in women (70% vs. 58% cumulative risk of NMSC before age 70 1; 58.5 vs. 39.0 age-standardised incidence rate of melanoma2). The risk of mortality is also higher for men - 69% of Australians who die from skin cancer are men. 3)

The sun is not my friend anymore.

[wong]

Yeah, clothing beats sunscreen.
Add a wide brim hat.

[Timothy Bucktu]

I burn easily on my bald head...but I apply SPF30 every morning and it lasts all day...you don't need to go mad with the stuff like some people do, or keep re-applying every hour. I do think some people overdo it.
I use the Nivia stuff which is the best IMO.
Obviously, that's just my experience. This is not medical advice.

[mcelliott]

All depends what skin type and family history too, my mum has spent all her life outside, lived in Malta for many years, she's 88 and has never had any issues, I have had loads of Basel cell carcinoma removed from my face, it's quite routine where I live no big deal at all, my skin specialist said that most melanomas are a result of family history rather than direct sun damage, obviously fair skinned people do need to take care, for the record I use a factor 50 just so I keep damage to a minimum.

[vulture1]

Suncream may cause cancer? Reminds me of thr robocop advert...

[deckster]

(1) Stop reading things online. It's not good for you (yes, I am aware of the irony of posting this statement online)
(2) You might need to try a few different brands as many people are sensitive to various ingredients and all the formulations vary. You may also find that a mineral-based sunscreen is kinder to your skin - my wife found out after many years of unexplained rashes that she is allergic to chemical sunscreens, and switching to a zinc-based sunblock was a revelation.

[Jack.77]

Timothy Bucktu said:

I burn easily on my bald head...but I apply SPF30 every morning and it lasts all day...you don't need to go mad with the stuff like some people do, or keep re-applying every hour. I do think some people overdo it.
I use the Nivia stuff which is the best IMO.
Obviously, that's just my experience. This is not medical advice.

Does it not just come off with sweat .today I applied it 3 times in total as it just seems to come off .
That was Nivea f50 .started burning on neck prior to 3rd go

[MrHappy]

We’ve used Ultrasun for many years. Excellent sunscreen.

[dandarez]

Brainpox said:

You need to make a choice. Sunscreen might have some chemicals in it that could cause cancer, 1 in 2 of us will get cancer at some point, how would you know the suncreen caused it?

The best solution is to avoid the sun altogether. Stay in shade where you can and keep covered when you can't.

All I know is out of all cancers, malignant melanoma is one of the nastiest. It'll spread to your brain and lymphatic system in no time and is directly linked to UV exposure.

And... what do we get in the UK from the sun which this nation is deficient in but is absolutely essential?
Vitamin D.
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for the body. The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium, and it also plays a role in bone growth, bone healing, and immune system function. Rickets was once called the 'English disease', it was rife, because we covered up too much.

And don't say take a vit D tablet, you can overdose easily - a recent new study recently as shown we've totally overdone it by prescribing too many Vit D pills over the last couple years.
It's absolutely impossible to overdose Vitamin D from the sun, unlike with pills.
It's why it's called the 'Sunshine Vitamin'. Just 15 mins a day is sufficient.

Have you not seen the list of health problems associated with lack of Vit D? I wouldn't look if I were you.

I'm not advocating sitting in the sun all day, that's daft, but it seems many in recent years, due to fear, cover up at the first sign of it peeking through the clouds.
And some wonder why there has been some evidence of Rickets returning? I'm old enough to remember seeing kids with the effects of Rickets. Very unpleasant.

Sod that, I love the sun and hate the f cold, always have.
It's so simple, how hard is it to just cover up if you think you'll be exposed for too long?

'Avoid the sun altogether, stay in the shade when you can't...' Christ alive! is my response to that advice.

[bigandclever]

Timothy Bucktu said:

I burn easily on my bald head...but I apply SPF30 every morning and it lasts all day...you don't need to go mad with the stuff like some people do, or keep re-applying every hour. I do think some people overdo it.
I use the Nivia stuff which is the best IMO.
Obviously, that's just my experience. This is not medical advice.

Given the SPF is all based on science, including the amount to use per square centimetre of skin, it's an industry given that practically no-one puts sun screen on 'properly' and applies way less than they should for the protection they think they're getting.

[Timothy Bucktu]

Jack.77 said:

Timothy Bucktu said:

I burn easily on my bald head...but I apply SPF30 every morning and it lasts all day...you don't need to go mad with the stuff like some people do, or keep re-applying every hour. I do think some people overdo it.
I use the Nivia stuff which is the best IMO.
Obviously, that's just my experience. This is not medical advice.

Does it not just come off with sweat .today I applied it 3 times in total as it just seems to come off .
That was Nivea f50 .started burning on neck prior to 3rd go

No, not at all in my experience. In fact, If I'm on holiday and in and out of the sea it keeps working fine. I apply it in the morning after a shower. Rub it in well and that's it. If I don't use sunscreen at all I will definitely burn like mad. Nivia does seem like good stuff. I've used it for years.

[Aunty Pasty]

I've a problem with phrases of the type "At certain levels / concentrations, chemical X has been found to cause illness/cancer/health problems etc. You can say that about pretty much any chemical, natural or artificial. There are things in fruit and veg which are good for you but at high concentrations will kill you or make you severely ill. Without context it's needlessly scaremongering. If you spilt some orange juice on a wooden floor you'll just clean it up, you wouldn't call in a structural surveyor to check the condition of the floor in case acid damage has weakened the fabric of the building.