A dangerous trend on TikTok is promoting ditching sunscreen to “cure” acne, suggesting that sunburn could have health benefits. Health experts warn that this risky practice can lead to skin cancer and other severe problems.
More and more social media influencers are urging their followers to forego sun protection because sunburns are said to help “cure” acne.
Doctors at the UK’s Queen Victoria Hospital immediately slammed the viral trend, pointing out that avoiding sunscreen can increase the risk of skin cancer.
In 2022, more than 2,200 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in Romania – Photo Freepik
“Although there are health benefits associated with getting enough sunlight, sunscreen should still be used to help reduce the risk of skin cancer. The more episodes of sunburn you have throughout your life, the higher your risk of developing skin cancer as well as premature skin aging. The impact of this trend could be far-reaching.”they said in a statement, according to Euronews.
The UK hospital treats about 700 patients a year for sunburn, adding that “The number is increasing year by year“.
Doctors fear that the effects of this dangerous trend may not appear until many years later, increasing the risk of skin cancer.
Sam Orkar, clinical director at Queen Victoria’s Plastics and Burns Services, warns that melanoma, the fifth most common type of cancer, is on the rise in the UK.
“There are safer ways to treat acne than putting yourself at risk through unprotected sun exposurehe said.
What is melanoma?
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can also affect other organs, most commonly caused by exposure to ultraviolet light.
Specifically, more than 90% of melanoma cases are closely associated with exposure to ultraviolet rays, either from natural sources such as the sun or from tanning devices.
The risk is higher for people with pale skin, many moles, or a family history of skin cancer.
The most common symptoms include moles with uneven edges, varying colors and sizes larger than 6 mm, and moles that change shape, size or color.
Dermatologists warn that no cream completely blocks UV rays, and overexposure can lead to burns and severe health risks.
In Romania, the number of cases of melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, is increasing, with more than 2,200 new cases in 2022.
Regular mole checks and proper use of sunscreen are essential for prevention.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimates that in 2022, there will be more than 1.5 million cases of skin cancer worldwide.
In the European Union, Denmark has the highest incidence of melanoma, with 50.3 cases per 100,000 people, while the EU average is 22.8 cases.
The alarm signal raised by dermatologists
The rise of sunburn misinformation has led dermatologists to take to TikTok directly to combat the myths.
Dermatologist Katie Belzenay pointed out in a video that while tanning can offer some short-term benefits, such as less oily skin and masking acne blemishes, the risks of UV exposure are far more serious. Not only does this increase the risk of melanoma, it can also cause hyperpigmentation (darker areas of the skin) and erythema (redness), making post-acne blemishes worse.
And in Romania, all kinds of trends are promoted that can damage our skin, for example, an influencer with over 65,000 followers on Facebook promotes a “sand mask and fine shellac“. The video has been viewed nearly 170,000 times.
On a skin care Facebook group, people are advised to avoid using these practices because “they can cause burns and stains that are difficult to remove.”
“We do not scrub our face even with cosmetics that are marketed as such and we especially DO NOT APPLY essential oil products to our face, let alone over damaged and irritated skin from sandblasting. You may wake up with some burns and blemishes that will take a long time to heal!“, warns one of the group’s administrators.
