Skin Cancer Rates And Sunscreen Use Don't Tell A Simple Story

It's summertime and many of us are outside as often as we can to enjoy the sunshine and the warm summer weather. Unfortunately, for many decades, the media and corporate profiteers have facilitated a climate of fear when it comes to the sun. I have a family member who is so afraid of the sun she covers every part of her body - literally sitting on the beach in what amounts to a full-body beekeeper's suit. That's what happens when the 'mind virus' From Reason to Emotion: Unraveling the Parasitic Mind - Booksplease removes critical thinking. We do know that skin cancer was less prevalent How Common Was Skin Cancer Before Sunscreen prior to the widespread use of commercial sunscreen.

We also know that correlation isn't necessarily causation. That said, we also know that there are ingredients in some commercial sunscreens that are known to be harmful to your body. And we know that most of the ingredients are in what is referred to as the 'gray area'. Many have also written about the 'Sunscreen Paradox ': How Common Was Skin Cancer Before Sunscreen? - Necole Bitchie essentially says that sunscreen offers a false sense of protection, so people are exposed more often. What's interesting is there is a comprehensive study over 20 years showing that lack of sunshine is potentially dangerous. Avoidance of sun exposure as a risk factor for major causes of death: a competing risk analysis of the Melanoma in Southern Sweden cohort - PubMed. Here's an excerpt from the study involving nearly 30,000 women:

"Women with active sun exposure habits were mainly at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and noncancer/non-CVD death as compared to those who avoided sun exposure. As a result of their increased survival, the relative contribution of cancer death increased in these women. Nonsmokers who avoided sun exposure had a life expectancy similar to smokers in the highest sun exposure group, indicating that avoidance of sun exposure is a risk factor for death of a similar magnitude as smoking. NIH Lindqvist study."

There are published studies in which regular sunscreen users actually had significantly more melanoma, not less. Here are two for you to check out:

Now if you're still gonna slather chemical sunscreen on yourself and your kids, let me ask you one simple question: Do you know what’s in it?
Ingredients including oxybenzone, avobenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene and homosalate are in a bit of a gray area. The FDA says “additional data needed”.

Hmmm...What is not gray at all is the fact that the FDA has deemed two ingredients harmful. So, if you see PABA and trolamine salicylate on the ingredient list be warned that the FDA deemed them NOT SAFE due to clear evidence of harm. For the ingredients which "lack sufficient evidence" - do you really want to wait until the FDA gets more data? Knowing how Washington works and the incredible amount of money big corporate pays to influence policy, you could be compromising your health.. For my safety and that of my family - we'll pass.

Studies have shown that several chemical sunscreen ingredients can be absorbed through the skin and detected in the bloodstream. That does not prove they’re harmful—but it does mean we shouldn’t confuse “not proven dangerous” with “proven completely safe.”

And you don’t have to choose between questionable exposure and getting burned.

Use common sense: enjoy sunlight responsibly, avoid burning, use shade and clothing when the sun is intense, and if you choose to use sunscreen, look for mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. The FDA has said its review found sufficient safety data for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to support classifying sunscreens containing them (up to 25%) as GRASE — “Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective.” In the FDA’s sunscreen review, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide were the two ingredients for which it found sufficient data to propose GRASE status, FDA also specifically found that zinc oxide does not penetrate human skin to any great extent, and that titanium dioxide does not enter systemic circulation “to any meaningful extent.” in June 2026, FDA also added bemotrizinol as a permitted sunscreen active ingredient and considers it GRASE, so it would no longer be accurate to say zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the only sunscreen actives FDA considers sufficiently supported.

Sunlight is important to human health. Sunburn is harmful. Protect yourself—but you don’t need a chemistry experiment on your skin to do it.

Read the label. Know what you’re using. And go get some sunlight.

NJ Fall Fun Means Sunflowers, Corn Mazes and Pumpkins

As the calendar turns to September, even more New Jersey spots are starting their fall fun early.

For any location listed below, call ahead, as operation times may vary and are weather permitting. It’s also good to have cash on-hand, as some activities may not take cards or cashless payments.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt