How Safe Are Your Sun Habits?

Six quick questions. Find out where you stand — and what to fix.

Have you used a tanning bed in the past year?

• Never — Smart choice. There is no such thing as a safe tan from a tanning bed — the UV exposure is far more concentrated than the sun.
• Once or twice — Even occasional use raises your lifetime skin cancer risk. Dermatologists say any amount of tanning bed exposure is too much.
• Regularly — This is the single biggest risk factor you can change right now. Research links regular tanning bed use to a 40–50% higher risk of melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Do you wear sunscreen on a typical weekday — not just at the beach?

• Yes, every day year-round — Excellent. UV rays penetrate clouds and windows, so daily application is exactly right.
• Only when I know I'll be outside a lot — You're catching the high-exposure days, but UV damage accumulates on ordinary days too — commutes, errands, lunch breaks outside all add up.
• Rarely or never — Dermatologists say sunscreen should be a daily habit, like brushing your teeth. Start with SPF 30 every morning and work up from there.

What SPF do you typically use?

• SPF 50 or higher — Perfect for outdoor activities, swimming, and sports. Water-resistant SPF 50+ is exactly what specialists recommend for extended time outside.
• SPF 25–30 — This meets the daily minimum recommended by dermatologists. If you're spending extended time outdoors, bump it up to SPF 50+.
• SPF 15 or lower — SPF 15 blocks about 93% of UVB rays — but experts recommend at least SPF 25–30 daily, and SPF 50 for outdoor activities.
• I don't use sunscreen — This is the most important habit change you can make. Broad-spectrum SPF 30+ every day is the baseline recommendation from dermatologists.

Do you check that your sunscreen is labeled 'broad-spectrum'?

• Yes, always — Good instinct. Broad-spectrum protects against both UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays. Only SPF without that label only covers UVB.
• Sometimes — Make it a habit to check. Broad-spectrum coverage matters for daily protection — UVA rays cause long-term damage even when you don't burn.
• I've never checked — Flip your sunscreen over and look for 'broad-spectrum' on the label. Without it, you may be missing UVA protection entirely.

When you're outdoors for a long time, how often do you reapply sunscreen?

• Every 2 hours or after swimming/sweating — Textbook technique. Sunscreen breaks down with UV exposure, sweat, and water — reapplication is what makes it actually work.
• Once when I go out, that's it — A single application fades within 2 hours, especially when you're active or near water. One-and-done leaves you unprotected for the rest of the day.
• I don't spend much time outdoors — Even mostly-indoor days include UV exposure through windows and brief outdoor trips. Daily SPF 30 still applies.

Have you seen social media posts saying sunscreen causes cancer and felt unsure?

• No — I know that's been debunked — Correct. That claim originated from a small study of ~20 people examining bloodstream absorption — not cancer causation. Major medical organizations confirm sunscreen prevents skin cancer.
• I've seen it but wasn't sure what to believe — Understandable — the posts look convincing. But the cancer-from-sunscreen claim has been thoroughly debunked. Decades of research show sunscreen prevents skin cancer, not causes it.
• Honestly, it made me use less sunscreen — This is exactly the harm doctors are worried about. The claim is false. A tiny preliminary study sparked the rumor, but follow-up research found no increased cancer risk from sunscreen ingredients.

Something old is new again — and dermatologists wish it wasn't. Tanning beds, long considered a relic of the 1980s and 90s, are trending again among teenagers, fueled partly by aesthetics culture online and a persistent but false belief that a tan signals health and vitality.

Dr. Susan Massick, a dermatologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, puts it plainly: there is no such thing as a healthy tan. 'From our perspective, tanning beds, any type of tan is actually not healthy at all,' she said. What looks like a glow today is your skin's damage response — melanin production triggered by UV injury.

You may be using tanning beds in your teen years, but you'll have the impact in 20 to 30 years — premature aging, increased pigmentation, wrinkles, and unfortunately skin cancers.Dr. Susan Massick, OSU Wexner Medical Center Dermatologist

Sunscreen Myths vs. Reality

Sunscreen causes cancer.

Verdict: false

This claim spread from a small preliminary study of roughly 20 people that looked at whether sunscreen ingredients are absorbed into the bloodstream — not whether they cause cancer. Follow-up research found no increased cancer risk. Major dermatology organizations confirm sunscreen prevents skin cancer.

Tanning beds are safer than the sun.

Verdict: false

Tanning beds emit concentrated UV radiation — often more intense than midday summer sun. Research links indoor tanning to a 40–50% higher risk of squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

You only need sunscreen in the summer.

Verdict: false

UVA rays — which penetrate clouds and glass — are present year-round at nearly constant levels. Dermatologists recommend broad-spectrum SPF 30 every day, twelve months a year, including Cincinnati's gray winter months.

A base tan protects you from sunburn.

Verdict: false

A 'base tan' offers roughly the equivalent of SPF 3–4 protection — far below the SPF 30 minimum recommended by dermatologists. More importantly, the tan itself represents DNA damage to skin cells.

SPF 15 is enough for most people most of the time.

Verdict: mostly false

SPF 15 blocks about 93% of UVB rays, but dermatologists set the daily minimum at SPF 25–30. For outdoor activities, SPF 50+ is recommended. The difference in protection between SPF 15 and SPF 30 is meaningful over a lifetime of daily use.

Part of what's driving the tanning bed revival is a wave of social media misinformation about sunscreen. Posts questioning sunscreen safety — often citing a single small study — have circulated widely, leading some people to reduce or eliminate their sunscreen use. Massick says that trade-off is exactly backwards: the risk isn't the sunscreen, it's the unprotected sun exposure.

The sunscreen-causes-cancer claim has been investigated and debunked. 'Sunscreens prevent skin cancer,' Massick said. 'There is no increased risk of other types of cancers' from using them.

Sunscreen by the Numbers: Daily vs. Outdoor Activity

What Decades of Tanning Actually Delivers

What Teen Tanners Expect

• ✓ Healthy-looking glow Cultural beauty standard
• ✓ Confidence boost Perceived attractiveness
• ✓ Vitamin D assumption Common misconception
• No immediate consequences visible

What Doctors See 20–30 Years Later

• ↑40–50% Skin Cancer Risk Melanoma + squamous cell
• Earlier Premature Aging Wrinkles, sunspots, leathering
• Permanent Pigmentation Changes Uneven tone, dark patches
• Damage accumulates silently for decades

The damage from UV exposure is cumulative and largely invisible for years. A teenager who uses tanning beds regularly in high school may not see the consequences until their 30s or 40s — by which point the DNA damage has already occurred. Massick compares it to compound interest, except what's compounding is harm.

Cincinnati-area residents face a year-round UV exposure reality that surprises many people: even on overcast days in January, UVA rays penetrate clouds and can cause skin damage. That's why dermatologists push daily sunscreen use, not just a summer habit.

Build a Sunscreen Habit That Actually Works

1. Choose broad-spectrum SPF 30 for every day — Check the label — it must say 'broad-spectrum' to protect against both UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays. SPF 30 is the daily minimum recommended by dermatologists.
2. Apply it every morning, year-round — Work it into your morning routine before you leave the house — regardless of season or whether it's cloudy. UV rays are present 365 days a year in Cincinnati.
3. Upgrade to SPF 50+ for outdoor time — Heading to a park, the Ohio River waterfront, a Reds game, or the pool? Switch to a water-resistant SPF 50+ formula and bring it with you.
4. Reapply every two hours outdoors — Sunscreen breaks down with UV exposure and sweating. Set a phone reminder. One application in the morning won't protect you through an afternoon at the lake.
5. Skip the tanning bed entirely — No amount of tanning bed use is medically safe. If appearance is the goal, dermatologists recommend self-tanning lotions — they work without UV radiation.

Skin Cancer: The Numbers Behind the Risk

• 1 in 5 — Americans get skin cancer
• 20 — Participants in the sunscreen-cancer study
• 97% — UVB rays blocked by SPF 30
• 50% — Higher melanoma risk
• 2 hrs — Reapplication window outdoors
• 30 — Minimum daily SPF

Protect Your Skin: Local Resources

• See a Cincinnati-Area Dermatologist: Annual skin checks can catch early signs of sun damage and skin cancer. UC Health, TriHealth, and Mercy Health all offer dermatology appointments.
• Know the ABCDE Warning Signs: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter larger than a pencil eraser, and Evolving shape or size — see a doctor if any mole shows these signs.
• FDA Sunscreen Guidance: The FDA regulates sunscreen and provides official guidance on what broad-spectrum, SPF, and water-resistant labels actually mean.

Why Did the Sunscreen-Cancer Rumor Spread So Far?

The claim that sunscreen causes cancer traces back to a 2019 study published in JAMA that examined whether active sunscreen ingredients could be detected in the bloodstream after use. The answer was yes — small amounts were absorbed. But the study was explicitly designed to test absorption, not to measure whether those absorbed chemicals caused any harm.

Social media posts stripped away that context and reframed the finding as evidence of cancer risk. The FDA, the American Academy of Dermatology, and the Skin Cancer Foundation all responded by clarifying that absorption into the bloodstream does not equal toxicity or cancer causation — and that the evidence for sunscreen preventing skin cancer is decades-deep and overwhelming.

Dermatologists say this is a classic case of a preliminary finding being weaponized before follow-up research could occur. The follow-up research has since been done. It found no increased cancer risk from sunscreen ingredients. Meanwhile, the misinformation continues to circulate.

Sources & References

• Primary source: news — Scripps News Group
• American Academy of Dermatology — Tanning bed cancer risk statistics and sunscreen recommendations (SPF 30 daily minimum, SPF 50+ for outdoor activity)
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Sunscreen safety, broad-spectrum labeling requirements, and tanning bed regulation
• Skin Cancer Foundation — ABCDE melanoma warning signs, UV exposure risks, and indoor tanning research
• JAMA / FDA Follow-up Research — 2019 sunscreen absorption study context and subsequent FDA-commissioned research finding no cancer causation from sunscreen ingredient absorption
• Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center — Clinical guidance from Dr. Susan Massick on tanning bed risks and sunscreen recommendations