Is your sunscreen causing skin cancer?

  Sunscreen is used to prevent sunburns and skin cancer. While sunscreens are
quite effective for protection from burns, many sunscreens may actually increase
the risk of skin cancer, especially the very deadly melanoma.
(Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

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Protecting yourself from the sun and sunscreens

• UV radiation and how to protect against it

• Is it really SPF 100?
• Is your sunscreen causing skin cancer?
• Choosing a safe and effective sunscreen
• How to protect yourself from the sun's rays

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit corporation that works as a public health advocacy group, reported that the incidence of skin cancer has increased in spite of the increased use of sunscreen.  This suggests that sunscreens may not prevent cancer and, in fact, may actually cause it.

The chemicals in a sunscreen do not cause cancer by themselves, but how they interact with the sun's rays may create a dangerous environment for the skin.

Free radicals cause cancer

Free radicals are a normal byproduct of cellular processes within the body.  Free radicals are unstable molecules that affect other molecules in the body and may ultimately lead to cancer. 

The issue with many sunscreen chemicals is that they increase the number of free radicals on the skin.  This creates an unstable environment that can contribute to the development of skin cancer.  Antioxidants combat free radicals.

Retinyl palmitate is a form of vitamin A and is an antioxidant

According to the EWG, retinyl palmitate is found in 41% of sunscreens.  While vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant, retinyl palmitate is also a photocarcinogen–it contributes to the development of cancer after exposure to sunlight.

A Food and Drug Administration study found that animals were more likely to develop cancerous skin lesions after exposure to sunlight while wearing creams containing retinyl palmitate.  In their article, "New FDA data: Sunscreen additive may speed skin damage," the EWG "cautions consumers to select sun products free of the compound until more conclusive information is available. This caution extends to other forms of vitamin A as well–retinol, retinyl acetate, and other retinyls–which are expected to display common toxic properties and to pose similar safety concerns."