You might have heard that skin cancer diagnoses have been increasing over the last 50 years or so, but did you know it’s possible that sunscreen and sun avoidance may be making the problem worse?
Vitamin D (which is made when our skin is exposed to sunlight) is critical for a healthy immune system—particularly T cell activation, priming T cells to kill virally infected and cancerous cells—as well as many other essential functions in the body. Avoidance of the sun or overassiduous use of sunblocks could lower vitamin D levels and thus compromise immune functions.
As mentioned in my book, Holistic Cancer Care:
“A 2017 comprehensive worldwide analysis of melanoma incidences and UVB doses … showed no evidence for a significant trend or correlation between the increasing incidences of melanoma and increasing personal UVB dose for males or females of any age group or skin type anywhere in the world.
In another study, there was a significant correlation between decreasing UVB doses and increasing melanoma for fair-skinned females over 29 years old. In other words, reduced UVB exposure increases the risk of melanoma; sunlight has a protective effect.” — certainly food for thought!
Also, major risk factors for melanoma include nevi (strawberry birth marks) and fair skin, probably because they both contain large amounts of pheomelanin and its early precursor molecules that absorb UVA1 radiation, which drives mutations.
So how do you stay safe in the sun?
- A light tan is the best protection – ideally starting early in the season to judiciously expose your skin to the sun (early in the day, before 10 a.m., or after 4 p.m. or 6 p.m. depending on your location) to build up a base tan.
- Move to the shade, or cover up, when your skin begins to feel warm to the touch or look slightly pink. No burning should ever occur.
- Using sunscreen when necessary to help block UVA and UVB exposure can be helpful, but we don’t yet know definitively about how (or if) the nanoparticles of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide may be absorbed by the body.
Some evidence shows that sunscreen nanoparticles only absorb into the stratum corneum layer of the skin, which is continually being shed and thus not problematic; other sources suggest variables of sweating or other sunscreen ingredients could cause zinc oxide nanoparticles to penetrate into the viable epidermis, below the stratum corneum.
I do personally use a face cream with sunscreen (zinc oxide nanoparticles) in it on some days, and I encourage you to make choices that work for you.
And of course, go out and enjoy the sun and don’t be afraid of it — just be aware and avoid getting burned.