Canadian researchers warn about the safe feeling sunscreen can give you. Their research shows that those who use lubricants often feel unfairly protected and are therefore at greater risk of developing skin cancer.
The use of creams that protect against the sun’s ultraviolet rays is increasing, but the number of cases of melanoma and melanoma is also increasing: researchers call this the sunscreen paradox.
They state that those who use sunscreen often feel unfairly protected from the sun’s harmful rays.
Permission to sunbathe
“The problem is that people use sunscreen as a kind of ‘permission’ to tan,” says Ivan Litvinoff, MD, associate professor in the department of medicine and chief of dermatology at McGill University.
“People feel protected against skin cancer because they are using a product marketed to prevent this condition.”
However, most people do not use enough cream or stay in the sun for hours after applying sunscreen in the morning, the results show. “So this gives them a false sense of security,” Litvinoff says.
Double the risk of cancer
He and his colleagues took a closer look at the sunscreen paradox in two separate studies. at first StadyAmong Canadians living in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island — provinces where skin cancer is common, they found that these people were more likely than average to report using sunscreen and were more aware of the health risks of sun exposure. However, they seemed to be exposing themselves more to the sun.
Also in one Second investigation Surprisingly, sunscreen use was associated with a more than doubled risk of skin cancer, the researchers showed.
Irony
“These combined findings point to a paradox in sunscreen, where individuals with frequent sun exposure tend to apply more, but apparently not enough.” “It gives them a false sense of security,” Litvinoff says.
The doctor and researcher says campaigns against skin cancer must take this discrepancy into account.
“Sunscreen is important, but it’s also the least effective way to protect your skin than protective clothing or sun avoidance. People can and should enjoy the outdoors, but without getting sunburned or tanned,” Litvinoff concludes.
