TikTok Says You Can Skip Sunscreen, But Here’s Why It’s Completely Wrong

Many family vacations center around time in the sun, which is why one of the most important items you should have in your luggage, carry-on, backpack or beach bag is sunscreen.

“We know that sunscreen protects the skin from skin cancer when used correctly,” says Dr. Alexandra Cvijanovich, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician in Albuquerque and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Skin cancer can be fatal, so this is a simple, inexpensive and painless way to protect our skin from skin cancer.”

If you need a refresher on sunscreen 101 or your teen has been influenced by some misinformation about sunscreen spread on TikTok, we’ve got you covered. Read on for expert tips and advice on how to keep the whole family safe.

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Why is sunscreen important?

“We know that sun protection, which includes sunscreen and sun-protective clothing and hats and things like that, is the most effective thing you can do from a young age to protect yourself from breast cancer. skin,” says Dr. Mary P. Lupo, MD, a dermatologist based in New Orleans. This includes less dangerous forms of skin cancer like basal cell carcinoma and more harmful cancers like melanoma.

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“Protection will also pay off as you age, as sun-induced aging is one of the most obvious and preventable ways skin ages,” adds Dr. Lupo. So if your teen has a multi-step skincare routine that was influenced by TikTok but bothers you because of wearing sunscreen, that’s a good point to mention.

How does sunscreen work?

There are two main types of sunscreen: physical and chemical. Physical sunscreens (also called organic and mineral sunscreens) sit on the surface of the skin and reflect the sun’s rays like a shield. Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays so that they do not reach the skin.

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Both types are effective and often come down to a matter of personal choice. For chemical sunscreens, look for options that don’t contain oxybenzone, but either type will work. And if your teen tries to tell you that sunscreen is toxic based on something they saw on social media, medical experts can quickly debunk that claim.

“Chemical and physical sunscreens have been around for decades and are proven and tested by the FDA to be safe,” says Dr. Lupo. “After all these years, we have no data to suggest that sunscreens currently available in the United States are toxic.”

Exposure to UV rays without any sun protection is actually much more dangerous. “There is no such thing as a safe tan or a healthy tan,” says Dr. Dawn Davis, MD, a pediatric dermatologist and professor of dermatology and pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic. “Sun exposure that results in redness or coloring of the skin in a way that does not match your natural base skin tone is an indication that there is damage.”

Which sunscreen is best for my family?

Start by choosing a sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF between 30 and 50. After that, it comes down to your personal preference. The best sunscreen for your family is the one you’ll actually use.

“It’s absolutely important to love your sunscreen,” says Dr. Lupo. “I expect you to use sunscreen, so you better find one you like.” (Check out our recommendations for the best sunscreens for babies and toddlers and sunscreens for the whole family for some great options.)

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Mineral-based sunscreens with ingredients like zinc or titanium oxide may be good choices for young children because they are gentler on the skin. But some people may find them heavy and chalky. In this case, a gel sunscreen (like the cult favorite Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen or elf SKIN Suntouchable Invisible Sunscreen) can be a good option.

“You can feel these effects, but after a few seconds it feels like the product evaporates from the skin, which means it’s not heavy,” says Dr. Davis. “For people who don’t want to feel sticky or like they’re covered in lotion, using an alcohol-based sunscreen can be very helpful.”

Powder sunscreens can be useful for touch-ups when you’re on the go, and spray sunscreens can be very handy for covering large areas quickly. For sprays, make sure you don’t inhale it during application, rub it in after spraying, and be generous with your application.

“It’s not like you’re spraying or putting on perfume,” says Dr. Davis. “It should be a liquid blanket. Most people underuse spray sunscreen. She recommends thinking about it like spray painting a piece of furniture. “It should be thicker than people think,” she says.

When and how to apply sunscreen?

Don’t wait until you’re at the beach, pool or lake to slather yourself. “You should apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outside,” says Dr. Cvijanovich. And don’t skip it if it’s cloudy.

“People need to wear sunscreen even if the weather isn’t nice,” she says. “UV rays can certainly pass through clouds. These are usually the most dangerous days, because we forget when we are outside and the weather is cloudy. And then we end up with a sunburn.

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Make sure you’re applying enough sunscreen: Keep in mind the classic “shot glass full” of sunscreen. “Studies show that patients are not using enough sunscreen; they only apply about a third of what is recommended,” says Dr. Davis. “If you only apply a third of what is recommended, you are not getting the SPF equivalent to what is listed on the bottle.”

Reapply every two hours or after going in the water, as no sunscreen is truly waterproof. And increase your level of protection by wearing a hat and sunglasses and spending time under an umbrella or in the shade. “These little things you can do will improve the effectiveness of the sunscreen because you won’t be overusing its lifespan,” says Dr. Lupo.

For toddlers, make the application process fun by providing some sort of reward or distraction, like a song you always play during sunscreen time. “For my own children, I had a silly song and a silly dance that I participated in at the same time,” Dr. Davis says. “It got kind of funny because mom looked stupid.”

Make wearing sunscreen a ritual and routine and your children will be more likely to accept it and continue wearing it as they get older. “Try to start using sunscreen when they are so young that they don’t notice any difference,” says Dr. Lupo. “Normalize sunscreen use so your child can’t imagine being outside without sunscreen.”

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