Guest column: Dr. G. Jerry Lugo ... Are sunscreens safe?

As a dermatologist, I am frequently asked to recommend the best sunscreen. However, recently I was taken aback when a patient asked me if it were safe to use sunscreen, she has read it could cause cancer.

I was surprised not by the question itself since the controversy about sunscreens and safety issues is nothing new to me, but by who was asking the question. The patient was a fair skin, middle-aged female who was consulting me regarding options for improving her aging skin and about a suspicious lesion on her cheek. Ironically, it is precisely this type of patient who would benefit the most from regular sun protection.

Her confusion is a consequence of news releases in which consumer watchdog groups have raised concerns about the safety of sunscreens, claiming that the absorption of certain ingredients in sunscreens may cause cancer and estrogenic side effects. This has caused unnecessary fear in the public, causing those who need sunscreen the most to be afraid to use it.

Although it is imperative that we ask questions about the safety of chemicals we are exposed to regularly, it is also important that we evaluate the answers and the sources of these answers to ensure we are dealing with facts and not mere prejudices or unsubstantiated opinions.

Sunscreens are considered over-the-counter drugs and are regulated by the government regarding safety issues, which chemicals can be used, their concentrations, and their combinations. To market sunscreens in the United States, manufacturers must abide by very stringent and restrictive rules set forth by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Moreover, multiple studies performed over many years and published in respected scientific journals have confirmed the safety of sunscreens. On the other hand, the arguments presented by the watchdog organizations are based on poorly designed and flawed studies in rodents that are difficult to extrapolate to humans. A host of highly respected medical and scientific organizations, including the American Cancer Society and American Academy of Dermatology recognize the importance of sunscreen for the prevention of skin cancers and sun-induced aging of the skin, recommend their regular use and affirm their safety.

Chemicals in sunscreens have been approved by the FDA for decades, and Americans have been using them on their skin every day for over 30 years without any major adverse health effect. If there was going to be a problem we would know by now.

Dermatologists see with our own eyes every day that those patients that regularly use sunscreens have fewer skin cancers and overall healthier skin without any adverse health effect than those who use sunscreens infrequently or not at all. The American Academy of Dermatology position has been clear and unequivocal: "Contrary to recent reports, available scientific literature and decades of public use does not support a link between sunscreens and significant health issues in humans."

On the other hand, UV radiation is a proven carcinogen. Whatever potential small risk, real or imagined, the use of sunscreens may pose; it is far outweighed by its benefits.

At the present sunscreens are the best product available to protect against UV radiation, and they have been proven to be safe when used as recommended. That means do not apply sunscreens to children less than six months of age, wear sunscreen products only during the day and just on the sun-exposed areas, and use broad-spectrum sunscreens that shield from both UV-A and UV-B rays of at least an SPF of 15 (SPF 30 if intense exposure is planned) .

There are other measures that equally, if not more consequential. For example: avoiding unnecessary exposure to the sun, seeking shade whenever possible, avoiding the midday sun — between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the UV-B rays are stronger — covering up with clothing and wearing a wide-brim hat. Other important measures are using UV-protecting sunglasses and supplementation with oral vitamin D.

Prevention is crucial for living a healthy life, and using sunscreen is an investment in the prevention of skin cancer and the maintenance of healthy and younger looking skin.

Dr. Lugo is a board certified dermatologist and cutaneous surgeon with special interest and expertise in the early diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer. He has been in private practice in Naples since 1992.

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