As temperatures rise, so do myths about sunscreen - Quebec group warns against false and misleading information on social media
Experts are warning Canadians not to heed misinformation spread online that sunscreen can cause cancer, stressing that proper use of the right lotions or sprays is, in fact, one of the best ways to prevent potentially deadly ailments like melanoma.
Quebec’s Order of Chemists warned last week against what it called a worrying trend circulating on social networks where some influencers spread false and misleading information about sunscreen, claiming that its ingredients are harmful to the skin and can cause cancer. The group said the assertions, devoid of scientific basis, can endanger public health.
One such influencer on TikTok recently warned their 570,000 followers to not use any sunscreen whose ingredients have “any funny words other than zinc.”
Julia Carroll, a dermatologist in Toronto, says much of the misinformation fails to look at the medical literature as a whole on sunscreen ingredients, which points to their safety.
