In the book Zero to One, Peter Thiel asks readers to consider what views/truths they believe that very few people agree with them on. For me, one such belief is that most sunscreen is not helpful in avoiding skin cancer and may actually increase the chances of it!

Sound crazy?

It’s definitely not a popular opinion, and I’m certainly not encouraging you to not wear sunscreen or to ignore the advice of your doctor. I am, however, encouraging you to do your own research, look at the actual studies, and use common sense when it comes to sun exposure.

Sunburn is harmful. But sunscreen isn’t the only way to avoid it.

The Problem of Sunscreen

Many sunscreens contain toxic ingredients or endocrine disrupting chemicals that in many cases can actually promote skin cancer growth and free radical production in the body.

In fact, in the years since sunscreen use began, skin cancer rates have actually risen, and a 2007 document from the FDA stated that: “The FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer” In fact, many reports show that most sunscreens actually raise skin cancer risk.

Even natural, commercially available sunscreens often have toxic ingredients! Check out your favorite brand here!

Many sunscreens also contain Oxybenzone, a known hormone disruptor that is not recommended for use on children.

Think about this:

Vitamin D= necessary for correct hormone formation. Sunscreen ingredients like Oxybenzone= endocrine disruptors that inhibit correct hormone formation. Starting to see the reason some sunscreens may do more harm than good?

The Environmental Factor

My husband and I are PADI certified SCUBA divers and the dive world is also aware of the problem with most sunscreens for different reasons…

Recent research is showing compounds in many types of sunscreen harm ocean life, especially coral. This is because these compounds may awaken dormant viruses in symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae. These Zooxanthellae algae provide food and color to the coral. Sunscreen chemicals cause the dormant viruses in these Zooxanthellae to replicate until the algae host dies. This, in turn, causes the coral to die.

Researchers estimate that over 5,000 metric tons of sunscreen wash off of swimmers each year. This “swimmer pollution” threatens a large part of the coral life in the ocean and indirectly many other ocean species as well.

The Vitamin D Factor

Considering many people these days are actually Vitamin D deficient, I personally consider lack of sun exposure to be a much bigger problem than too much sun exposure.

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to many types of cancers including the most deadly types of breast cancer. Lack of Vitamin D has also been linked to problems during pregnancy including pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, premature labor, and more.

As a society, we’ve literally cut off our nose to spite our face when it comes to sun exposure. To avoid skin cancer, we’ve shunned the sun and the Vitamin D our bodies produce when exposed to the sun.

On top of that, sun exposure itself is not the only factor linked to skin cancer, and many other factors, such as Omega-6 Vegetable Oil consumption can have a big impact on skin health!

I don’t buy the idea that even moderate sun exposure is harmful when our bodies need Vitamin D and light exposure for so many aspects of health. I personally take Astaxanthin daily to help protect my skin from the inside out (read about why I do this here).

A Common Sense Approach to Sun

In most cases, my approach to sun exposure is to get adequate daily exposure, without getting close to the point of burning. Since most of us don’t work outside these days, it actually takes effort to get daily sun, rather than to avoid it. I certainly don’t slather on the coral-destroying sunscreen in the off chance I might encounter a few stray rays of sunlight, and in fact, I welcome it!

In fact, thanks to 23 and Me, I know that I have mutations that make it very difficult to get enough Vitamin D. This puts me at risk for a lot of serious diseases and taking supplements doesn’t work very well to raise my levels. For this reason, my doctor advised me to get adequate vitamin D… from natural sun exposure.

Of course, there is a limit to how much sun a person needs or should get. When I reach this limit, I:

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