Hey, Influencers! Let's Talk Sunscreen

I was scrolling through Facebook one sleepless night when I happened upon a video that truly confused me. I watched it several times to ensure I was hearing correctly. This particular video struck a chord because it dealt with sunscreen.

As a melanoma survivor and someone who is still at war with precancers and lifelong sun damage, I am always intrigued by any mention of sunscreen. However, this video sent a strange, garbled message. I felt compelled to sort it out and set things straight.

She had me at “sunscreen”

Our online world is being taken over by (Say it with me.) influencers. There’s one around every corner of the internet, and they never lack material. I must admit that some of them do hold my interest, but others I can really do without.

This young woman had some pretty strong opinions on skincare, so I was intrigued. Then, after hearing the tagline in her video, I was hooked. She states, “If you see a woman with flawless skin, let me tell you, it's sunscreen.” Honestly, all she had to do was say the word “sunscreen,” and I was in.

Could social media help prevent skin cancer?

I was so excited that a young influencer was finally both recognizing and touting the effectiveness of sunscreen. This could be big. If the right influencer–the one with millions of young followers–is successful at promoting sunscreen and sun safety, huge strides could be made in skin cancer prevention.

Think about it. Generations to come might never have to face topical chemotherapy treatments, Mohs surgery, or the horrors of melanoma for skin cancer related to ultraviolet radiation, its primary cause. Social media influencers, with the right intentions and accurate information, could make a big difference for years to come.

The message missed the mark

There was a problem though. This influencer was just far enough off the mark that it was painful to watch.

As I watched and then rewatched, I realized she was literally saying that sunscreen gives the skin a flawless look. In her video, she promotes the use of sunscreen, not because it protects the skin from damage and skin cancer, but because this specific brand evens out skin tone and reduces the look of redness.

I watched the video from start to finish several times, hoping I missed the part where she explains the importance of protecting the skin from UV rays. I had not, and she did not. Her entire focus was on the look of the skin itself.

Lets make skin cancer prevention the real trend

That’s all well and good because most of us would love some tips on upping our flawless game, but c’mon. It’s past time for sunscreen to have its day.

Sunscreen helps prevent skin cancer. All of us should wear sunscreen daily, and not just those of us who have history of the disease. Skin cancer does not and will not discriminate. Every skin tone is susceptible to the damaging rays of the sun.

Sunscreen is not a part of the beauty regimen designed to make skin look luminous. It’s a necessity for our health and safety. Let’s do this, influencers. Make sunscreen your focus.

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