Dr Idriss Addresses… SPF Misinformation and Why it *Needs* To Stop
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Dr Idriss is a board-certified dermatologist practising in New York. Known as #PillowTalkDerm to her over 4 millions followers on socials, she has a burning passion for demystifying skincare and busting beauty myths at every turn. Dr Idriss is also a regular Live That Glow columnist, sharing her unedited views on all things trending with our readers in her column, ‘Dr Idriss Addresses..
Anyone who knows me will know that I’ve been on a mission for years to tackle the ugly topic that is skincare misinformation. And perhaps no misinformation campaign has been scarier than TikTok’s ongoing SPF-causes-cancer moment.
As crazy as it was to see such an outdated myth suddenly go viral though, honestly, this sudden outbreak of SPF fearmongering which started last year didn’t come out of nowhere; it’s always been an ongoing battle.
In my experience, sunscreen has always been one of those products that gets unfairly villainized because there’s a massive lack of education on the importance of sun protection for our health and people love a “natural vs. toxic” narrative. Late 2024, TikTok just poured gasoline on a fire and suddenly—boom—everybody thought sunscreen was out to kill them.
What is clear though, is that there is suddenly an appetite online for believing myths that were already debunked years ago.
And that’s for two reasons. One: social media thrives on sensational headlines. “Sunscreen gives you cancer” will always travel farther than “Sunscreen prevents skin cancer.” Two: we’re living in a moment of general mistrust—whether it’s politics, health, or the economy—so people are primed to be skeptical. The cycle of misinformation isn’t new, but social made it faster, louder, and global overnight.
The good news though is that this tsunami of misinformation hasn’t actually resulted in a decrease in SPF use. Not in my experience, anyway.
If anything, I’ve actually seen an increase. As fast as misinformation spreads, so does education. Luckily, dermatologists, chemists, and credible experts are louder than ever online, and people are paying attention. We’re in a unique moment where consumers are both the most misinformed and the most educated they’ve ever been.
Back in the ’90s and early 2000s, people were tanning beyond imagination—baby oil, tanning beds, you name it. Fast forward to today, and there’s a whole new baseline of awareness about sun damage and skin cancer. That progress is real. But at the same time, those old myths—like “sunscreen causes more harm than good”—keep resurfacing in new packaging.
The difference now? More people are questioning what they see online, and more are turning to experts to fact-check it. So while misinformation will always exist, the silver lining is that our collective knowledge has leveled up. And that makes me hopeful.
The lesson here is that we all have the power to fight misinformation through clarity, consistency, and credible sources. We know from decades of research that sunscreen reduces the risk of skin cancer and slows premature aging. That evidence should always be the starting point.
From there, it’s about building healthy skepticism. Ask: Who is sharing this claim? Where does their information come from? Is there peer-reviewed science behind it? If the answer is no, treat it with caution. TikTok videos or Chat GPT are not substitutes for real medical research.
We can also do our part by not amplifying false claims. Every click and share helps misinformation spread further.
Finally, we need to keep repeating the truth. Misinformation thrives in silence. The more consistently experts and informed individuals share the facts, the harder it becomes for myths to dominate the conversation.
Get Glowing!
