"Every year, a safe-sunscreen guide sparks needless concern."
"Every year at the start of summer, a familiar cycle repeats. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group releases its annual sunscreen guide, reigniting fears surrounding sunscreen safety. The guide’s message is predictable: Few sunscreens are both safe and effective. Consumers should beware.
This year’s coverage, including reporting last month by CNN, continues a troubling trend in health journalism: conflating theoretical concerns with demonstrated clinical harm, while minimizing the well-established dangers of ultraviolet radiation. That imbalance is increasingly shaping patient behavior in ways that concern us as dermatologists.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Daily broad-spectrum sun protection — including sunscreen, shade and protective clothing — is among the most evidence-based of preventive measures. Yet only a minority of U.S. adults report consistent sunscreen use. Messaging that undermines trust in sunscreen will not help.
We are already seeing the downstream effects in the clinic. More patients are pushing back against sunscreen use, because they have been led to believe it’s toxic. Some are abandoning sunscreen and turning instead to alternatives promoted on social media, such as beef tallow or coconut oil. At the same time, melanoma incidence continues to rise, particularly among younger populations."
Misty Eleryan M.D. and Adam Friedman M.D. report for the Washington Post June 25, 2026.
