Two new surveys suggest a worrying trend: young adults seem to be neglecting their sun protection.
In an online survey of more than 1,000 people released this month by the American Academy of Dermatology, 28 percent of 18- to 26-year-olds said they did not believe tanning caused skin cancer. skin. And 37% said they only wear sunscreen when others are harassing them.
In another poll released this month by the Orlando Health Cancer Institute, 14 percent of adults under 35 believe the myth that wearing sunscreen daily is more harmful than direct exposure to the sun. Although the surveys are too small to capture the behaviors of all young adults, doctors said they have also noticed these knowledge gaps and riskier behaviors in their younger patients.
To some extent, experts say, this problem is not unique to today’s generation of young adults. “There’s part of it that young people are just young people,” said Dr. Melissa Shive, a dermatologist at UCI Health in Irvine, California. A survey conducted between 1986 and 1996 found that young people aged 18 to 24 (who are now middle-aged) were more likely than older adults to visit tanning booths and catch sunburn. sun.
Young adults are often unaware of what sun damage looks like and how to best prevent it, Dr. Shive said. She said she recently saw a young patient who didn’t know that tanned skin and freckles were signs of sun damage. Dr. Heather Rogers, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Washington, said more of her younger patients now report visiting tanning beds. Ultraviolet rays – whether from tanning beds or direct sunlight – can damage the skin and cause skin cancer, which can be fatal.
Older adults who participated in recent surveys also didn’t have complete knowledge about sun protection: 17 percent of millennials surveyed by the AAD didn’t know that tanning causes skin cancer, for example. But overall, young adults — most of whom were Generation Z, meaning they were born after 1997 — were more likely to report believing myths about sun safety.
Experts have said that Generation Z is particularly susceptible to misinformation about sunscreen and skin cancer that has proliferated on social media platforms like TikTok. They pointed to posts from influencers falsely claiming that sunscreen can cause cancer, or from celebrities saying they don’t use sunscreen because it interferes with the absorption of vitamin D. (Des (years of scientific evidence supports the benefits of sunscreen in preventing skin cancer, Dr. Shive said.)
“The problem with social media is that no one is checking what’s out there,” said Dr. Ida Orengo, chair of the department of dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
“It can help spread information about skin cancer prevention, but it can also backfire and make things worse,” she said.
The Orlando Health poll found that nearly a quarter of respondents under 35 believed staying hydrated prevented sunburn. (There is no evidence that it can do this.) In the AAD survey, more than a quarter of people aged 18 to 26 believed that a base tan could prevent skin cancer, even if any tanning damages skin cells, Dr. Rogers said. .
How should young people protect their skin?
Most sun protection recommendations are the same for people of all ages, Dr. Shive said. And anyone can get sunburn and skin cancer, so the advice applies regardless of skin color, said Dr. Meredithe McNamara, an assistant professor of pediatrics who specializes in pediatric medicine. adolescence at the Yale School of Medicine.
Look for the shadow. If you’ll be out in the sun for an extended period of time, Dr. Rogers recommends an umbrella. Shading is greatest between about 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun is most intense, Dr. Orengo said.
Wear sun protective clothing. Long sleeves and pants help protect your skin, especially if they’re made of materials with an ultraviolet protection factor, or UPF, Dr. Shive said. Wide brimmed hats are also a good idea.
Generously apply – and reapply – sunscreen. UV rays can damage skin even on cloudy or cold days, which is why experts recommend wearing sunscreen every day. The ideal sunscreen has at least an SPF of 30 and is labeled “broad-spectrum,” Dr. Rogers said. This means that it blocks both types of ultraviolet rays, UVA and UVB.
Apply sunscreen every morning before leaving the house. If you’re outside, Dr. Shive advises reapplying every two hours, or more often if you’re sweating or swimming.
Check your skin. Primary care doctors or dermatologists can examine a patient’s skin during annual exams, Dr. McNamara said. But if you spot an unusual mole — asymmetrical, with an uneven border or unusual color, that is larger than a quarter of an inch, or that is growing quickly — Dr. Orengo suggested seeing a dermatologist right away.
Think of skin protection as a retirement fund. Dr. Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, a dermatologist at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, had some specific advice for Gen Z: approach sun protection as “an investment in your future health.” The more you protect your skin when you are young, the better protected you will be against skin cancer and against wrinkles and spots that result from sun exposure later in life.
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