Debunking myths about sunscreen: Here's all you need to know

Do we truly need a sun protection factor SPF of 50 or is it just savvy marketing How do we know which sunblock is right for us These are questions that have come up since the very public standoff between Hindustan Unilever Limited HUL the parent company of Lakme and Honasa Consumer Limited the parent company of MamaEarth over whose sunscreen is betterIn recent times online discourse over sun protection skincare has leaned towards misinformation And Gen Z seems to be the most susceptible to it In a May 2024 survey the American Academy of Dermatology found that 52 per cent of Gen Z adults were unaware of one or more risks of sunburn such as increased odds of skin cancer or premature skin aging In fact while over 50 per cent of Americans get a grade of A or B for their sun protection knowledge 32 per cent of Gen Z adults receive a failing grade of D or FDr Reshma T VishnanI Sakshi Rawte Dhar and Natasha ParekhIn yet more worrying data the Orlando Health Cancer Institute found that one in seven 14 per cent adults think that daily sunscreen use is more harmful to the skin than direct sun exposure Nearly a fourth 23 per cent of the respondents believed that merely drinking water and staying hydrated can prevent sunburnData from India is equally shocking An HUL spokesperson reveals ldquoOnly about 33 per cent of our population uses sunscreen according to consumer research agency Kantar Worldpanel Given India is a highUVindex on an average of 916 during summer country it is crucial for consumers to incorporate sunscreenmdashincluding reapplicationmdashinto their daily routinerdquoJournalist Sakshi Rawte Dhar has been writing about skincare for a long time On Instagram she goes by the handle leavesakshialone and has garnered a decent following 33000 for being authentic about who is out to dupe us and who isnrsquot Dhar tells us about the recent influx of influencers misrepresenting ldquodadi ke nuskherdquo as adequate sun protection ldquowhich it isnrsquotrdquoldquoHomemade sunscreen is being represented as ldquochemicalfreerdquo The younger generation has somehow got the idea that sunscreen is merely chemicals and not worth applying at all which is a big problemrdquo the 27yearold tells us ldquoAs a result we are seeing people going out with no protection at all Today with the added risk from climate change and unprecedented depletion of the ozone layer sun protection should be nonnegotiablerdquo she addsMaking sunscreen at home is highly dangerous as UV filters are notoriously unstable if not formulated well which is not something the layperson knows how to dordquo says Rhea Sugwekar a cosmetic regulatory researcher who has been in the industry for over seven yearsldquoSun protection is serious science and this is why we want to raise awareness of this issue among the populationrdquo says HULrsquos spokesperson ldquoProper formulation of sunscreens to ensure photostability on the skin is critical Since 2015 we have been conducting invivo on skin tests to establish the photoprotection and the SPFPA levels of our sunscreen We have also been raising awareness with regulators to make this testing mandatoryrdquoSunscreen is surrounded by myths says Sugwekar from claims that it prevents tanningmdashldquoIt doesnrsquotrdquomdashto assertions that brown skin doesnrsquot need sun protection ldquoIronically one of the biggest lies around sunscreen is that itrsquos loaded with chemicals and can therefore cause cancer ldquoRather sunscreen prevents skin cancer from excessive sun exposurerdquo she countersNot all young consumers fall for the lies though Konark Gaur Chief Marketing Officer at homegrown beauty brand Pilgrim says ldquoThe truth is Gen Z is one of the most aware generations when it comes to sun protectionand have embraced sunscreen as a nonnegotiable part of their routine While there may be questions around the need for higher SPF it stems more from a desire to make informed ingredientconscious choices than from fear or misinformationrdquoSo which sunscreen is the best And how can the layperson gauge whether a brand is truly meeting its promise of a high SPF ldquoTherersquos no way for the common man to know thatrdquo says Dhar ldquoThe number one mistake most people make is to not consult a dermatologist for suggestions based on your skin type and sun exposurerdquoAnd do we really need SPF 50 At the end of the day itrsquos your choice says Dr Reshma T Vishnani consultant dermatologist trichologist and aesthetic dermatologist Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital ldquoSPF 30 is generally sufficient for most Indians if applied 20 minutes before sun exposure and reapplied every two to three hours especially outdoors But SPF 50 or higher is recommended for those who are at higher risk or have more exposurerdquo she addsA lot of people do not realise that their jobs should determine sunscreen usage says Natasha Parekh who has her own skincare line called Vaunt Skincare ldquoItrsquos mostly needed for midday exposure which leads to sunburn dark spots and age spots If yoursquore out running or swimming a lot then yes it SPF 50 is neededrdquo she saysThe verdict is in When in doubt seek an expertrsquos opinion but definitely use sunscreen so you stay sunkissed not sunburntatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params