Quote:
Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!
The anti vax crowd had a small campaign a while ago saying sunscreen actually causes skin cancer. They point to this graph as an obvious causal relationship.
I'm sure they've caused more than their fair share of skin cancer as well as every other disease on the vaccine list. |
Wow way to cherry pick data anti-vaxxers. Although the fact anyone with those mental issues is even glancing at data is amazing.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2082713/
Quote:
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The intermittent exposure hypothesis remains controversial; some studies indicate that children and adolescents who received intermittent sun exposure during vacation, recreation, or occupation are at increased melanoma risk as adults, but more recent studies suggest intermittent exposure to have a protective effect.
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Essentially the studies this review refers to (and more since this 2006 review) suggest a protective effect on melanoma from sun exposure up to a certain point. So yes, sunscreen use may increase risk.
The rest of the skin cancers, however, have a higher association with increased sunlight exposure.
The answer, like usual, is probably a compromise between too much and too little.
I think this article is deceiving though, given that the majority of people with deficiencies are those living far from the equator at the least sunny times of the year. Most people don't wear sunscreen in the winter, and I don't know any people who are "sun avoiders" in the summer. The problem is they don't spend any time in the sun with skin exposed... because it's cold. I'm not sure where blaming suncreen comes in. But good points regarding vitamin D supplementation.