Shortly after her son’s first birthday, melanoma survivor Leah Koskinen noticed a small spot on her shoulder and thought nothing of it. After her mom encouraged her to get a skin check, the seemingly innocent spot flipped her life upside down as the doctors told her the diagnosis: she had stage three melanoma.
With the cancer spreading to her lymph nodes, scans and frequent checks became her new norm. Countless doctor appointments and surgeries later, Koskinen has been in remission for six years. However, her story is far too common for millions of Americans, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness about sun safety and skin cancer.
Skin cancer can be classified into three main sub-categories: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. While all three are deadly, melanoma is the most fatal due to its tendency to spread to other parts of the body. Just two sunburns before the age of 18 can increase the risk of getting these cancers by over 50%. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, and more than two people die of the disease every hour. On the bright side, when melanoma is detected early, the five-year survival rate is 99%.
“The cancer can go anywhere when it’s melanoma, but it really depends on the type of skin cancer,” Koskinen said. “But it’s not just as simple as getting a mole removed. If we didn’t catch it as quickly as we did, that cancer could have gone throughout my whole entire body.”
Unfortunately, despite such deadly statistics, there are popular misconceptions plaguing society. To debunk such myths, it is important to be well-informed to be able to differentiate between fact versus fiction.
Misconception 1: Tanning Beds are a Better Alternative to the Sun
While many are aware of the dangers the sun poses, most are oblivious to the indoor danger that is even more deadly than the sun’s UV rays: indoor tanning. While seemingly harmless and even marketed as a safer alternative to the sun, tanning beds pose a threat to anyone who decides to use them, especially to teenagers. MD Anderson Cancer Center warns that using a tanning bed before age 20 can increase your chance of developing melanoma by nearly 50%.
“The vast majority of my peers perceive sun safety as an unnecessary precaution and ignore the risks of skin damage to prioritize looking tan,” eighth grader Collette Baum said. “Tanning beds emit ultraviolet radiation ten to fifteen times higher than the sun at its strongest intensity, and individuals who have used a tanning bed before they’re 35 are 75% more likely to develop melanoma.”
Despite these risks, the desire to achieve a tan remains prevalent, especially among teenagers, who are particularly susceptible to peer pressure and societal beauty standards.
Misconception 2: Only Apply Sunscreen Once Per Day
“Another misconception is that you only need to put on sunscreen once per day,” Koskinen said. “You should really be reapplying every two hours. I like to set an alarm on my phone so that I don’t have to think about remembering when the two hours are to make it easy for [myself].”
Setting alarms or daily reminders on phones are easy ways to remember to apply and reapply sunscreen. While sunscreen works wonders by detecting or absorbing UV rays, it is not invincible.
“In reality, even the best sunscreens wear off after about two to three hours, and they deteriorate even quicker if you are sweating or swimming,” Baum said.
By being diligent about sunscreen reapplication, we can protect ourselves from the dangers of skin cancer. Constant reminders build healthy habits to make sunscreen application a no-brainer. Consistency is key to success, and this is especially true regarding sun protection.
Misconception 3: No Sunscreen Needed If I Barely Go Outside
Lauren Muench, a dermatology physician assistant at Reflections Dermatology, encounters social media conspiracies and myths regarding sun safety on a daily basis through interactions with patients. She commonly hears her patients say that they do not have to wear sunscreen every day since they rarely go outside, but she warns that this could not be farther from the truth.
“I inform my patients that the sun has a cumulative effect and that 10-15 minutes in the sun each day adds up,” Muench said. “It may not seem like much at the moment, but 10 minutes every single day is a lot of UV exposure, which can put individuals at risk for sun damage — including skin cancer and premature aging. This is why it is important to apply SPF each day to protect ourselves from the harmful effects of UV radiation.”
The compounding effect of the sun means that even if you occasionally go outside and are exposed to the sun, you will still feel the effects over time. Sunscreen application and general sun protection, like wearing UPF clothing or staying in shade during the peak hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to Northwestern Medicine, are critical to staying safe.
Solutions:
Social media has a tight hold on teenagers in today’s society, making it the best method for instilling sun safety habits. With #tanlines having over 430 million views on TikTok, the sunscreen narrative should and can be changed.
“If influencers and other celebrities celebrated their natural skin tones and sent a message that beauty isn’t only skin-deep, it could be revolutionary to skin-cancer statistics, causing a significant positive change,” Baum said. “There are so many individuals online boasting tanlines and romanticizing a burnt complexion, which has had a monumental impact on teens around the world.”
It is important to protect the face, ears, neck, chest and arms as they are exposed to the sun’s harmful rays on a daily basis. While sunscreen is one of the main aspects of sun safety, other important forms of sun safety cannot be forgotten.
“Another thing that is helpful is wearing protective clothing — such as UV shirts or hats whenever outside for long periods of time,” Muench said. “Also, finding shade whenever possible to prevent direct sunlight is an easy thing to do to minimize excessive sun exposure.”
It truly is the little things that add up to have the greatest impact when it comes to building healthy sun safety habits.
“Just do the simple things, you know, have a hat to keep it in your car, keep a little bottle of sunscreen in your purse and make sure your makeup has SPF,” Koskinen said.
While simple practices like carrying sunscreen or wearing a hat can help prevent skin damage, advancements in technology are enhancing the ability to detect skin conditions at earlier stages. New artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are becoming key components in early detection, which can, in turn, increase survival rates.
“There are currently AI-powered apps and tools that patients and providers can use to perform more accurate exams and potentially detect concerning lesions at an even earlier stage,” Muench said. “ There are also non-invasive biopsy techniques such as DermTech — which is an adhesive sticker test that you can apply on a skin lesion to assess certain genetic properties, indicating whether or not a biopsy is warranted.”
Baum, Muench and Koskinen all echo a similar message: start early and prioritize consistency when it comes to building healthy and sustainable sun safety habits.
“It’s so easy to live in an all-or-nothing mindset, but what typically happens is that teens abandon their sun care routine early on and let their skin pay the price,” Baum said. “Making sure to apply sunscreen every single day, even if it’s only a little bit, is what has the greatest impact over time.”
