Credits: Social Media
‘I’m a dermatologist and you shouldn’t be ignoring essential product every day’
A dermatologist warns sunscreen is an essential skincare step that you should be applying every day to prevent sun damage, aging and skin cancer, despite some Gen Z efforts to avoid the vital product.
Skincare has become increasingly popular with the rise of social media, yet research suggests that Gen Z are still avoiding the importance of sunscreen. A board-certified dermatologist expert explained why and how you should be applying sun protection daily, the real dangers of skin damage and how to avoid misinformation surrounding sunscreen on social media.
Dermatologist warns against ignoring essential sunscreen
Doctor Heather D Rogers, MD is a practicing procedural and cosmetic dermatologist who appeared on the Weather Channel to explain that Gen Z don’t seem to be wearing sunscreen, and clarify the consequences of this bad habit.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, Gen Z adults are putting themselves most at risk, and they are not protecting themselves from the sun. Rodgers states that they are not using sunscreen on a regular basis, and they’re using it less often than any of our other adults.
This was proven when Gen Z adults took the American Academy of Dermatology quiz and 1/3 of participants scored very low, indicating that they lack the basic understanding that the sun is the number one cause of skin cancer and the number one cause of aging.
Additionally, the doctor suggests that since the generation are young, they want to be tan, and they want to look good. According to the study, 1/3 of them were willing to be tan now and not worry about the risk of skin cancer.
Remember to stay protected while having fun in the sun! The expert recommends “you need to reapply your sunscreen every two hours, and sunscreen isn’t enough. You need to seek shade, and you need to stay out of bright sun during the hottest hours of the day.”
Misinformation about sunscreen is dangerous to Gen Z
Gen Z refers to people born between 1997 and 2012, who spend more time on TikTok than any other age group – a platform whereby skincare routines are widely popular – yet the generation still don’t seem to be paying enough attention to the importance of preventing sun damage.
While skincare routines and popular beauty products are constantly trending online, Heather Rodgers suggests that the disconnect between the importance of using SPF (Sun Protection Factor), still exists because some people believe sunscreen has dangers.
The dermatologist explains that these ‘dangers’ refer to unfounded claims which have been disproven by decades of data showing sunscreen is safe and prevents skin cancer as well as ageing. However, some people pick up on the misinformation and this results in a group of Gen Z people who don’t want to use sunscreen.
Using sunscreen slows your aging process, and 90% of aging comes from the sun. The sun is also the number one cause of skin cancer, and according to the American Academy of Dermatology,�around one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, which is roughly 20% of the population.�This makes skin cancer the most common cancer in the United States.
Dr. Heather Rodgers clarifies that sunscreen causing cancer “is categorically false information”, also stated in Sun and Skin News blog, and instead prevents the skin cancer as well as premature signs of aging caused by the sun.
Dr. Heather D. Rogers, MD is a practicing procedural and cosmetic dermatologist who teaches dermatology residents at the University of Washington.
