Proud anti-vaxer Kristin Cavallari has a podcast called Let’s Be Honest. It focuses on “all things relationships,” including her “personal relationships with family, parenthood, dating, wellness, career, food, fitness and spirituality.” Each week, the pod has a different guest. Back in January, one of her guests was holistic doctor Ryan Monahan in which they talked about her relationship with sunscreen. This may surprise you, but Kristin does not wear sunscreen. Why not? It’s a personal choice based on Kristin doing her own research and coming to the conclusion the sun is “life-giving and nourishing.” Plus, human beings used to spend all day in the sun and nothing happened to them!
“I want to discuss the sun and sunscreen which I know is controversial,” Cavallari, 37, said to Dr. Ryan Monahan, a holistic doctor she welcomed on her podcast.
“I don’t wear sunscreen and anytime I do an interview I get a lot of s—when I admit that I don’t, so talk to me about the health benefits of the sun and why we maybe don’t need sunscreen.”
“Totally, it’s a very controversial topic, which is so funny, ’cause it’s the sun,” Monahan replied. “Like, we’ve literally spent our whole existence as humans under the sun all day until the last like, 100 years or so. And now we’re, like, shut in, spend 93% of our lives indoors. That’s really bad for a lot of reasons. The sun is life-giving and nourishing.”
As one dermatologist pointed out in a TikTok stitch of the podcast, “What these wellness gurus will not tell is you is that our ancestors, they didn’t get skin cancers not because they were somehow immune to DNA damage from ultraviolet radiation, but rather — newsflash — they died before the average age of onset of skin cancer.”
And as the American Cancer Society points out, the average age for a skin cancer diagnosis is 66. Skin cancer is also the most common form of cancer, with 1 in 5 Americans developing it in their lifetime, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
“Excess exposure to UV radiation from sunlight or use of indoor tanning also increases risk for all skin cancer types, as does a personal history of the disease,” the AAD says, adding “the majority of melanoma cases are attributable to UV exposure.”
As the Centers for Disease Control says, “Your best bet to protect your skin is to use sunscreen or wear protective clothing when you’re outside — even when you’re in the shade.”
On the podcast, Cavallari mentioned using coconut oil in the sun — and Monahan suggested eating it instead, claiming an anti-inflammatory diet can kelp keep you from getting sunburned. While research shows that certain foods can impact your body’s reaction to ultraviolet damage, Verywell Health reports, the outlet also points out, “the best thing you can do for your skin and overall health is to prevent sunburns.”
And as the Mayo Clinic Health System advises, “avoid so-called sunscreens, such as cocoa butter, safflower, olive, jojoba, baby or coconut oil that provide no sun protection.”
Gah, I can’t stop picturing Kristin eating coconut oil by the spoonful now. That Tik Tok doctor made a good point about our ancestors not getting skin cancer because they didn’t live long enough to develop it. I don’t disagree with Kristin that the sun has health benefits. It is life-giving and does wonders for our mental and emotional health. It is absolutely crucial to mine. It’s also a good source of Vitamin D. But, like with all good things, there’s a risk and you can mitigate that risk by protecting yourself with sunscreen. So, while I get what Kristin is trying to say, I just think she’s using one set of facts to justify her decision to not wear it. And of course, she’s using her platform to convince other people to put themselves at risk, too. Please don’t listen to her. Wear the sunscreen.
This is a mind-bogglingly ignorant take…it’s hard to believe these people can be so stupid. Our ancestors also didn’t destroy the ozone layer with greenhouse gases as we have. I hope she gets dragged incessantly for this along with that “doctor” she had on her show.
ITAWY. This is an incredible display of ignorance, skin cancers are constantly on the rise due to people not using sunscreens.
this
I just…the last 100 years or so??? How stupid is that faux doctor???
I’m Black and had a pre-cancerous ‘freckle” removed from my ankle 2yrs ago. WEAR YOUR SUNSCREEN!!!! Let dopes be dopes.
Doesn’t she live in TEXAS!! ☀️ If the possibility of getting skin cancer doesn’t scare her the wrinkles will, especially with a much younger boyfriend.
When my kids were younger my doctor told me to let them play in the sun for about half an hour to get their vitamin D then put on their sunscreen as long as it wasn’t a scorcher. It worked for us.
Huh. Sunburns are really painful. Have you ever seen someone sit outside all day without wearing sunscreen? Lobster red and sick. Peeling for weeks. So yeah, I’m gonna choose the sunscreen🙄
Happened to me the summer I graduated from high school. A friend’s mom worked at a local hotel & a bunch of us spent the day at the hotel pool. We didn’t use sunscreen then. Oh, it was invented, but we mostly didn’t bother. My entire body, less the tiny part covered by my bikini, got sunburned. It was so painful! I was miserable for days. And the peeling! Both my brother & I had sunburned & peeling noses every summer. For us, that’s what signaled summer: no school & peeling noses.
I spent two decades running outside every day, no hat for about half of that, no sunblock anywhere but my face. Another couple of years doing fieldwork (archaeology), now wearing proper skin protection with long sleeves, long trousers, sunblock on the exposed skin (face, ears, neck, hands were covered with gloves). I think it was that first full body burn that did the most damage, because—
First skin cancer diagnoses in my 40s: a melanoma in situ, second one a couple of years later. Then a gap of time (but regular skin checks) before a basal cell carcinoma was found. Just earlier this year, a squamous cell carcinoma.
Give it some time, Kristin. That dermatologist you see for botox is probably grinding their teeth at your ignorance. Or you’re not seeing a medical professional for that. I’m guessing the latter.
Plus, the technical term for a sunburn is radiation burn. No bueno.
I live in the South and my son was born on August 1st. On July 30th I was at my mom’s house and she convinced me to go swim in the pool with her for a little while. I was laying on a float for about an hour at most and got the worst sunburn….two days before I was induced and gave birth. I didn’t know that pregnant women can burn easier. It was so unpleasant and I still bring it up to my mother from time to time.
She makes money off giving people her own version of medical advice. That’s blood money.
I’ve disliked her since Laguna Beach and she’s only gotten worse with age. She’s like a Walmart Goop, just unhinged ideas about health and “wellness.”
Walmart Goop lol . Hopefully no one listens to these idiots
Fifty is sneaking up on me, and I’ve worn sunscreen since my teens. I did use a tanning bed in my late teens and early 20s (still wore sunscreen every day though I was weird), and I cover. Big hat, big glasses, long sleeves. A few years ago I burned my hand, and that summer I discovered these amazing rash guards with thumb holes. I roll up in the beach wearing those, and sometimes I do feel out of place with my friends in their tiny bikinis . But I still get carded and pass for my early 30s, so I guess it evens out.
LOLLLL Walmart Goop!!
The scary thing is that ppl actually do listen to these idiots, and adopt really harmful behaviors that will hurt themselves in the long run. Lunacy reigns in popular understanding of science these days. Ugh…
ty to Rosie at CB for writing this piece and fighting the good fight for media literacy!
Well, she can have fun with that and I will continue to slather on my sunscreen, rain or shine.
Don’t forget when you’re driving somewhere! Particularly on your hands!
Most newer car windows actually have UV protection in the glass now. Ours does! Have definitely gotten those driving sunburns in the past. 👎🏻
The lack of critical thinking and ignoring decades of science is mind blowing.
If you’re taking medical/health advice from a former reality tv teen- you probably are making a myriad of bad decisions.
Godspeed.
These days when you hear someone saying ” i did my own research” you know they are gonna say the stupidest stuff known to man.
Yes sun is good, sun is life, and its all that even when you protect yourself from harmful uvs.
You know, I’m not 100% convinced that our ancestors never got skin cancer but that it wasn’t recognized for what it was. We didn’t even have germ theory until what? The 19th century? (Yes, just did a quick google.)
I totally agree. I think people had cancer back then but just didn’t know what it is.
Also it’s worth remembering the sun wasn’t as harsh in a lot of places like it is now, thanks to ozone depletion and good old climate change.
Thank you! People like this make me crazy. They’re so desperate to be original and bold that they think themselves brilliant when really, they’re just basic as f!@k.
Water intake is good for you and required to live, but drink too much too quickly and it can kill you. Also, knowing how to swim doesn’t mean that people don’t still sometimes drown.
I’d rather take a vitamin D supplement and slather myself in sunscreen than drown in my own idiocy.
Comments like these make me sad that she and Jay Cutler didn’t work out, since they’re both so insufferable that they clearly deserved to be miserable together.
Omg, do NOT use coconut oil in the sun, especially without sunscreen!
A bit of sun without sunscreen is okay for vitamin D (we’re talking minutes), but the sun does cause damage! If you have difficulty with sunscreen (I happen to be allergic to several ingredients and can’t use many), they make UV-proof clothing that you can protect your self with.
Well, if they want to roast themselves like a steak in the frying pan more power to them. This advice is life threatening. I was just diagnosed with skin cancer and I’m not a sun worshipper. I don’t roast in the sun, or at the beach or by the pool nor did I ever use tanning beds. I do my yard work in the morning and for Vitamin D I sometimes sit with my morning coffee on the front steps for 10 min. and I cover up and use sunscreen.
I was surprised when I got the diagnosis but thankfully it is not melanoma, and I just had the procedure to have it removed. At the end of the month, I have a full body scan to make sure nothing else is hiding.
I don’t wish anything bad to anybody, but sometimes I wish that these so-called Experts get a scare to just shut them up. We all know that there will be plenty people that rather listen to these morons that have no clue what they are talking about than to physicians.
Hang in there, Finny. I’ve had four (each of the three kinds). That first one is the scariest.
People susceptible to burning covered up in the sunshine.. with long sleeves and hats. It wasn’t just about modesty but also practicality.
Right? Have they forgotten all the photos of our ancestors covered up and wearing hats/bonnets???
Kristin: Dayum leather face! Whyyyyyyyy
Mirror: I and every MD on the planet has warned you for years. No crying.
Kristin: Pouty faces
If the only downside she has to this ignorance is that she’ll look 110 in 20 years she’ll be lucky. I’m so sick of these ” I DiD mY Own ReSeArCh” people. Really you did? Where was this research published? What methodology did they use? What limitations did they mention? What was the sample population? How recent were these studies? Because these are the questions I was asked when I did my own research for a degree.
She’s probably already started injected her face with a bunch of crap in order to stay “young” but sure applying some sunsceen on your face in the morning is the problem here. Also, why is she acting as if people wearing sunscreen can’t enjoy the other benefits from the sun ?
My mom wore coconut oil to prevent sunburns for like a week last summer and ended up with the worst sunburns ever, she looked like she had been deep fried.
I learned the baby oil with mercurochrome from my mom when I was a kid. Yeah, not good.
There is a stunning part of the US population that sees advanced academics as a very suspicious thing and just as bad as being woke / liberal etc. Some of them probably would listen to a conventionally attractive blonde going on about how she did her own completely unspecified research and truly consider that preferable to anything scientific. During the first part of COVID these were the same people saying that the public health people weren’t right because they were looking around with their own eyes and didn’t see any of that happening.
They probably look at this woman and say, oh, she looks great, and sunblock is expensive and gross anyway, that’s what I’m seeing with my eyes, and it seems like a good idea to do whatever she’s doing.
It’s the new way to take down the intelligentsia. Discredit, discredit, discredit! Thank goodness there are too many of us now to combat all this crap.
I’m more irked with that so-called doctor. I’m a professional archaeologist and you, sir, do not know squat about human history.
::SLOW BLINK::
Nope. Not even going to. It’d be like shooting a target at point blank range.
Right? SMH honestly, some people are just too stupid to live.
Definitely too stupid to have public platform spreading this nonsense to the dozens of people I’m sure still pay attention to her.
Well if she wants to chance getting cancer then more power to her playing with fire. My husband has a bald patch and our hair stylist noticed he had a few spots that looked different so he went to the dermatologist and they were just the beginning of cancerous spots and they removed them. It’s the one place he just didn’t think to put sunscreen and he didn’t wear hats. He applies sunscreen and wears a hat out in the sun now.
If that’s how she feels about sunscreen, then I trust she won’t be turning to Botox and fillers as she ages.
I have no regrets about avoiding the sun my entire life. My ancestors were from Northern Europe and this skin is not at all meant for direct sunlight. Everyone my age looks older than me so hey! Saves money on anti-aging treatments as well.
I mean, if we’re going to go all natural, embrace your DNA: white skin isn’t meant for equatorial sun.
I religiously tanned all through my teens and early 20s, even using tanning beds. By 35, I couldn’t spend 15 minutes in the sun without burning and by 50, I developed a large basal cell carcinoma spot on the top of my head that I had to have Moh’s surgery to remove. I don’t even spend time outside anymore.
Enjoy your skin cancer, Kristin.
Glad you got it in time.
To play the devil’s advocate I do avoid wearing sunscreen by wearing long sleeves and staying in the shade when I can.
I’ve really disliked direct sun on my skin since my thirties. Having said that, I absolutely wear sunscreen if I must be exposed to direct sun.
It’s just that, because I have brown skin (I’m mixed black & white), I don’t systematically lather myself with sunscreen when I step outside!
I’m also mixed (black and white), and I didn’t wear sunscreen until the summer I worked at the Renaissance Faire in Westchester. I burned so badly the first weekend that I not only wear sunscreen now but I also cross the street to walk in the shade in the summer. I either wear a hat or use an umbrella when the temperatures hit 90 and above.
Sunburns are horrible! I haven’t had one for a while but I did as a child, when I didn’t always wear sunscreen at the beach.
I honestly think long sleeves and shade and hats are the best way to avoid the sun. Sunscreen can have its own issues (that I’d rather deal with than melanoma), particularly when swimming.
I’ve even gotten burnt through clothing when at the beach midday in the subtropics. You can still enjoy the sun from a shady spot!
I LOVE umbrellas (lined with an SPF coating). You can bring shade with you wherever you go.
I need to try umbrellas too!
She’s an idiot. Give her a few more years & she’ll be at her dermatologist’s saying ‘what’s that funny spot on my arm?’ She’s fair-skinned, blond (though possibly not naturally, but maybe when she was younger) & she’s spending time in the sun. She’s a candidate for skin cancer. Apparently in her ‘research’ she hasn’t come across Teddi Mellencamp’s videos.
Yes, we get vitamin d from the sun, but we can also get that from foods we eat. Yes, it feels good to be in the sun, particularly if you live in those northern climates (or southern, on the other side of the equator) that have long cold dark winters. Cover up & wear that sunscreen! Don’t forget your ears! Signed, a person who’s had four skin cancer diagnoses (one of each type + an extra!).
For anyone who is taking medical advice from actors/celebrities/non-medical experts I say, Darwin’s law applies. I only feel sad for their children.
People have been protecting themselves from the sun since the beginning with clothing and mud/clay.
EXACTLY.
The irony of talking about ancestors…who covered their skin when outdoors!! So yes – they WERE well aware of the damage the sun did. They just didn’t have access to sunscreen. Even tribes in Africa used certain substances such as ochre to protect themselves from the sun. This idea that our ancestors somehow didn’t understand how the sun worked is just dumb and ahistorical.
I work in healthcare and I have seen a few cases of skin cancer. It is not pretty. UV rays cause premature aging of the skin. Protection from the sun is highly important.
Where did Kristen study – the medical school of The Hills? Where Spencer & Heidi her instructors? What an idiot.
She’s doing her children no favors,
What more can I add to the myriad of very spot on comments before me? Cancer sucks, and some non-skin cancers (many blood ones) lead almost directly to skin cancers. Khloe Kardashian is one example of how a tiny little face basal cell carcinoma involves MASSIVE surgery to remove. And basal cell is the least deadly of the group. Sigh. The war against science is so deeply troubling and this twit should be held accountable if any of her ‘followers’ develops skin cancer. Although stupid seems to be the most terminal of all diseases.
D-u-m-m Dumb!
I think the point about our ancestors dying is such a good one – not because yay people died, but because I think that’s something that’s so often forgotten whenever people discuss certain medical issues. “well it wasnt an issue back hundreds of years ago!” well either it wasn’t identified as an issue or people died before it was an issue. Yes, its possible for people in their 20s and 30s to develop skin cancer, but its rarer. And also, they didn’t have the understanding of “skin cancer” that we have today, so someone might have gotten sick and weak and died in their 30s, and it wouldn’t have been attributed to anything sun-related.
All that to say…I love the sun. I love the beach. I love being outside in the summer, and in the winter I try on sunny days even when its cold because I suffer from SAD and any outside sunshine time helps me.
But I am smarter now than i was 20 years ago so I use sunscreen, I wear hats (even though I do not look good in hats, lol), sunglasses, etc. And i slather my boys up likewise. I’m not obsessive about it but I’m trying to make smarter decisions than in decades past and that’s really all we can do going forward. when you know better, you do better. We know better than our ancestors did 500 or whatever years ago so we do better.
Olive completed and my dermatologist told me in my 20s – just because you don’t burn doesn’t mean you can’t get skin cancer. So I’ve been religious about it. And I don’t like direct sunlight on my face so I’m ALWAYS in a hat. I once had a younger neighbor ask why im always in hat and sunglasses – even in winter, and when I took them off, she replied: ohhhhh I see why. Your skin looks great.
And I’m so glad I listened to my DOCTOR.
Well the sun offers instant FAFO results, so her research won’t take long.
I know I’m a day late but this comment is savagely beautiful!!!
I can’t wait for her vanity and her beliefs to start to clash even if she is lucky enough to avoid any form of skin cancer, I’m sure she’ll be delighted to look like a walnut when she gets older.
I’m 45 and I have been wearing factor 50 on my face and hands year round for years now, even if I have no plans to go outside that day, it’s just a part of my morning routine. Right now I’m thrilled that the Ultra Violette Screen Queen is finally back in stock in the UK and Caudalie Face is my backup.
I love being outside and I love the feeling of the sun but you bet I cover myself in high factor sunscreen if I’m out there. I’m olive skinned and tan easily but these days I’m factor 50 all over.
Why does this complete moron have a platform? How are these people so completely ignorant and devoid of any capability of thought? Trump supporters boggle my mind.
Enjoy your future melanomas, K. Put some more coconut oil on.
Sunscreen is important to prevent skin cancer.
Also, many brands of sunscreen are full of carcinogens.
Sometimes I feel like there’s no good choices.
I’d appreciate it if you’d cite your sources, here.
Geez, I just can’t even with these wellness dumbasses. When she ‘did her own research’, what were the sources that she went with? Other dumbasses just spouting crap on the internet that she wanted to hear? Because what she wants to hear certainly doesn’t come from the medical community. Someone else mentioned Teddi Mellencamp. Yep, she’s dealing with melanoma. Or how about Hugh Jackman? Khloe Kardashian? These three are famous people who thankfully have survived the disease but others aren’t so lucky. Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffett come to mind. I hope this dumbass is dragged so hard for this and then people continue to bring it up anytime she shows up online. I’m tired of ignorance being the loudest voice in the room.
Oh noooo. My mother’s best friend died from skin cancer when she was pregnant with me. She was in her early 20s. And my almost-an-albino grandmother spent her entire life having to have stuff removed and she wore sunscreen religiously and always wore long sleeves/pants/big hats.
But whatever girl. Speed run to trying to fix that sun damage on your face I guess.
I can’t wait until she looks like the crypt keeper in 20 years and is crying about that.
Is she going to promote not bathing next? How far back is she considering? Because let’s face it, our ancestors may not have got skin cancer because they were dirty. Skin covered in grime. They didn’t bathe often. Which may be gross to think about but would protect your skin from exposure.
KC can FO.
I lost a cousin at 44 to skin cancer. Many people in my family have/had it including my father had surgery yesterday for skin cancer.
Plus, purely vanity point of view. My Mother is a redhead, avoided a lot of sun even decades ago. At almost 80, her skin is still fair and fairly smooth.
I’m a ginger so I’ve been avoiding the sun as if it’s out to kill me since I was 13. My dad had skin cancer. It seems Kristin doesn’t understand that sunscreen filters out the UV rays and not the vitamin D.
Side note: I hear a lot of people talk about how people had shorter life expectancy up to about 100 years ago, but when I did my family tree that was not the case. I traced back to the 1500s and a LOT of my ancestors lived to be 90 or even 100 years old. Even in 1600. So idk if it’s just my family or if maybe the talk about shorter lifespan isn’t necessarily true.
“Shorter life expectancy”: life expectancy is usually expressed as “average age at death” which can be misleading.
If you have 100 people and 50 of them live to 80 and 50 of them die before age 1 (so at age 0), the “average life span” of that group is 40. If 75 of them die at age 0 (like in an outbreak of MEASLES), the average drops to 20. In both cases you still have a lot of 80-year-olds left around though.
Historian here – the average life expectancy was much lower in the past (average, so there are obviously exceptions, like your family), but also remember that two things that pull the average down are the fact that MANY women died in childbirth and child deaths. If you made it past childhood, you did have a fairly good chance of living longer, but still, folks died from all kinds of things before germ theory (late 19th/early 20th century) and antibiotics (20th can)
I’m a ginger so I’ve been avoiding the sun as if it’s out to kill me since I was 13. My dad had skin cancer. It seems Kristin doesn’t understand that sunscreen filters out the UV rays and not the vitamin D.
Side note: I hear a lot of people talk about how people had shorter life expectancy but when I did my family tree that was not the case. I traced back to the 1500s and a LOT of my ancestors lived to be 90 or even 100 years old. Even in 1600. One ancestor was born in 1800 and died in 1918. idk if it’s just my family or if maybe the talk about shorter lifespan isn’t necessarily true.
Kristin Cavallari is a moron and no one should take life advice from her. But the responses to her nonsense contain nonsense of their own.
The AVERAGE human lifespan before modern medicine was 30-40 years, NOT because no one lived to old age, but because 50% of the population died before they reached age 5. 25% of the population still lived past the age of 60. The dermatologist loses credibility when they get it wrong about a subject that they’re not trained in. (oh the irony)
I suspect that we’re going to learn that chemical sunscreens are harmful and we’re going to spend a couple decades refusing to acknowledge it. If they kill coral reefs then they’re probably not good to slather on your skin everyday. We’re also starting to learn that titanium dioxide is harmful as a food additive, so it’s possible that it’s harmful when used externally too. Physical shade and protective clothing are better and safer UV protections than sunscreen.
Some unprotected sun exposure is necessary for good health. 15 minutes a day seems to be enough. Vitamin D supplements aren’t as good as naturally produced D. There’s some indications that the nitric oxide produced by sun exposure reduces the incidence of deeper and deadlier internal cancers even while the UV increases the incidence of less-deadly skin cancer. So, it’s all a tradeoff and the risks and benefits aren’t being accurately described by anyone on Tiktok. UV is like water. It’s required for life, but too much and too little are both bad.
Another future Darwin Award Winner… please, please, please, ignore these idiots. Wear sunscreen daily. My personal favorite is Summer Fridays Sunscreen. It does not sting my eyes and sinks right into my skin with no cast. There are also a lot of good Korena Skin care SPF products on the market that work really well with no eye irritation. You just have to find the one that is right for you.
Me reading headline: wtf, this is some anti vax Covid denier shit, I don’t think Kristen is any of those things?
Me opening article: welp, TIL. Throw the whole human away.
I have a close family friend, an older gentleman, who spent years in the Greek sun, who is suffering from skin cancer. He’s had disfiguring surgery on his face to remove it And has spent the past few years in and out of hospitals, getting chemotherapy and radiation. His wife, his children and his grandchildren are all affected by his diagnosis. Just wear Your goddamn sunscreen.
My mother was born and raised in Mexico — she was white Canadian but my grandfather worked for a big oil company and was transferred to Tampico in the 1920s. So she grew up a sun baby, continued to tan after moving back to Canada, and by her 50s she’d developed numerous skin cancers and liver spots. She must have had a dozen surgically removed, including one huge one on her upper chest that left a dandy scar. I, on the other hand, inherited my dad’s fair Irish complexion so other than my teens I avoided tanning and used sunscreen whenever I was out in the sun for extended periods of time. At 71 I have hardly any wrinkles and get compliments all the time on how good my skin looks. All my friends who tanned like crazy and continue to do so are battling skin cancers and have alligator skin. This woman is a menace to society and why she’s given a platform to spew her crap is beyond me.
Even if you’re winning to roll the dice on skin cancer, the aging effects of the sun are pretty irrefutable. She clearly spends money on keeping her face and skin looking fresh, so it surprises me she doesn’t at least wear sunscreen for THAT.
If she wants to damage her skin and risk skin cancer, that’s up to her, but as usual, we have a case of somebody uneducated skimming a few articles and losing all the nuances in the process.
Bio degree here with a background in pharmacy. Let me give a broad overview of how sun exposure works for those who may not have researched it much. There are two types of UV radiation you need to know about, UVB and UVA, which stands for ultraviolet B and ultraviolet A. UVB refers to ultraviolet with a wavelength that’s short, while UVA is the longer wavelength. UVB causes skin burning with excessive exposure, while UVA is associated with long term skin aging.
You need a certain amount of UVB light daily for proper Vitamin D synthesis. People who live a certain distance north of the equator must take supplements because they aren’t exposed to it enough in the fall/winter months, particularly if they have darker skin that hinders UV-B absorption. (Hence why the ancestors of Europeans and northern Asians have lighter skin tones! We needed to absorb as much UVB as possible! By contrast, darker skin tones fare better closer to the equator because they have better protection against the negative effects of UVB/UVA, though they should still use sunscreen!)
However, you only need a UVB index of 3-5 for about 20 minutes of direct exposure for Vitamin D synthesis. People with fair to light skin tones are going to want to put sunscreen on if they’re doing more than 15-20 minutes of direct exposure. People with medium skin tones should put it on if they’re out for more than 2-3 hours. People with medium dark to very dark skin tones are generally fine without sunscreen at an index of 3-5 (unless they have vitiligo or something similar) without excessive exposure. Almost everybody should be putting it on once you hit an index of 6+, and even very dark skin needs it an index of 8+ if you’re out for several hours.
Be aware that a fair number of medications will increase your sun sensitivity, including ones that are fairly common like antihistamines (allergy meds), NSAIDs, certain birth controls, etc. In general, you should be cautious if you’re on the lighter side of the spectrum because a.) your risk of skin cancer is higher b.) aesthetically, we age more rapidly with exposure. However, people with darker skin should be vigilant for reasons of social practicality: doctors are less likely to think to check for it because they assume your skin is better protected.
Thank you for this post @Veronica S. I found it extremely helpful. I’m a Black woman with light/medium skin tone, and I’ve lived in Mid-Atlantic cities. I tan even using higher spfs — and have long been confused by instructions to chose an spf level based on how long it takes you to burn, which would have me using spf 2 or no sunscreen at all. Choosing based on a combination of skin tone, length of sun exposure, and UV index is a LOT more useful. 😎
I hope she’s had that dark spot near her ankle checked out.
Last summer I discovered Trader Joe’s sunscreens. I have my stash at the ready.
I’m still bemoaning the disappearance of the Bain de Soleil Orange Gelee with the intoxicating fragrance.
My friend Kara should be turning 51 this week. Instead she’s been gone for a decade because of skin cancer. What a ridiculous and ill-informed take.
I am gobb-smacked! Dear lord, how do you fix this level of stupid. Sunscreen does not block one hundred percent of UV rays; even if there was that small possibility, it would probably require us to use multiple containers of sunscreen a day, which most people never do and never will. Also, I think it’s easy for people who have access to plastic surgery to boast about exposing their skin to UV rays.
My father never wore sunscreen. Now in his 70s he’s been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma. Cavallari’s “advice” is dangerous junk science.
Even if she thinks she’s immune to skin cancer, she’s going to look like a raisin when she gets into her 50s and 60s and all that sun exposure catches up with her and she no longer has the hormones and collagen of youth to keep her skin plum. I’m 51 now and my friends who were big tanners in their youth have much different skin quality now compared to people their same age who wore sunscreen. Sunscreen is the ultimate skincare product.
Can someone send he the stars on skin cancer in Australia? Our parents were pretty careless about protecting themselves- I believe young Aussies are now aware of how dangerous sun exposure/sunburns really are.
I was in Japan in the summer in tropical heat, and all the local had hats and long sleeves.
In fact women had removable long sleeves, which was actually rather stylish!
I grew up in a hot country, and as kids we weren’t allowed in the sun between 12-4PM
My father’s cousin ended up with melanoma underneath his fingernail and passed away.
My father had a spot on his head where he was bald that he got checked every 6 months and one time of the check it had turned into melanoma and he passed.
My doctor’s son who was just 17 was getting a physical for sports and after she left the room to give him his privacy the doctor asked Is there anything else you want to discuss with me. He said well I’ve got this weird spots thing going on on my groin inner thigh. It was melanoma and that doctor’s alertness saved his life.
Sunscreen is a must but it doesn’t always take the Sun to get skin cancer so get yourself a dermatologist and have your checkups.
I myself learned I have freckles on my eyes. I had to go every 6 months and when they were able to establish they were stable not changing at all I could go once a year. It all matters in the end and she’s a fool
Ugh, so frustrating. Look I’m a crunchy lady myself, if herbs and veggies can do it then I’m all for it, acting like melanin deficient people don’t need protection from the sun’s rays while fake tanned four shades darker than “natural color” just makes me twitchy.
somebody probably mentioned this already but I feel like her and that dude from the Green Bay Packers would be perfect for each other.
Growing up, we only wore sunscreen when we went to the sea. We always sat in the shade, wore a hat, and generally didnt walk around in the sun at peak hours. And sure, we are all fine. However, I don’t recall 30C+ being normal temperature like it is nowadays. I’ve literally gotten sunburnt walking my friend to her car after a visit and chatting in the driveway for a couple of minutes. Climate change is real, and I hate that this dummy is out there influencing people and putting their lives at risk. Think of the wrinkles, at the very least!
Human beings also used to have a life span about half of what it is now. Let’s be honest, this woman is an idiot.
My mom just had a melanoma in situ cut out of her arm. Why? Because she spent her youth slathering on baby oil instead of sunscreen.
People are stupid.
I wear sunscreen everyday on my face, neck and chest (if exposed) to prevent brown spots and hyperpigmentation.
My dermatologist says most people don’t even use sunscreen correctly and don’t understand how the SPF works (ex. applying it morning and then going about your day is incorrect; it should be reapplied).
He also says if you are just going about your day and not spending all day out in the sun (working outside, going to the beach, gardening, etc.) or planning on sunbathing that most people, unless they have skin that easily burns, are fine without sunscreen.
And then there’s this, don’t know if this has been debunked – https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/09/theres-no-proof-sunscreen-prevents-cancer-in-black-people-why-do-doctors-keep-pushing-it/
She is going to look like a leather purse in a few years.