Aussies are utilized to the warm summertime sunlight, identified with barbeques at the coastline, seaside sundowns and lengthy careless days. But, according to the country’s leading health and wellness authorities, there’s one “toxic myth” that remains to continue, specifically in the warmer months, that might set you back lives.
Professor of Chemistry Oliver Jones at RMIT University is seeking to establish the document right. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, he stated sun block isn’t hazardous– however on-line false information can be.
He stated the factor many individuals incorrectly think sunscreen misbehaves for you is “tricky” to select. “I think it is part of the wider mistrust of chemicals, [which] we see on social media a lot,” Jones informed Yahoo.
“Sadly, misinformation can spread rapidly online, especially when there is an emotional hook like compound X gives you cancer. Once misinformation is out there it is very hard to correct it.”
Is sun block in fact cancer causing?
He stated “some companies” and “social media influencers” likewise use individuals’s concern so they can market them “chemical-free” alternatives — which, he argued, are often less safe.
“Conveniently disregarding the reality that every little thing is made from chemicals, also us,” he said.
Jones said excessive UV light from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer in Australia, and wearing sunscreen is a proven way to protect against it.
Sunscreen is rigorously tested for safety and effectiveness. Despite this, social media often spreads misinformation, such as the claim that sunscreen causes cancer, which has no evidence.
Additionally, there’s a myth about the difference between mineral and chemical sunscreens. Both types are safe and work similarly by absorbing UV light and converting it to heat, with only a small amount being reflected.
” I am confident with excellent scientific research interaction and vital reasoning abilities, we can press back versus this type of damaging false information– which can do actual injury,” he said.
With its predominantly sunny climate, Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. It’s estimated that around two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70.
UV radiation is responsible for around 95 per cent of skin cancers, with prolonged exposure to the sun being the primary risk factor.
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