Does sunscreen cause skin cancer?

Ultraviolet radiation is one of the main causes of skin cancer.

The World Health Organization lists protection from the sun as one way to reduce cancer risk. Staying out of the sun during peak hours, using sunscreen and wearing protective items such as hats and sunglasses are all recommended ways to protect yourself.

Social media tells a different story. Posts claim that skin cancer is more common among people who use sunscreen.

So which one is true?

We looked at the scientific evidence on sunscreen and skin cancer.

The “sunscreen paradox” is being misread

Dr Jennifer Lin of Harvard University says there is no good evidence that sunscreen increases the risk of skin cancer. According to Lin, claims like these stem from studies that have been misinterpreted.

One example is a 2023 UK Biobank study. The study was not designed to test whether sunscreen is safe. Researchers wanted to examine how genetic traits, environmental exposure and behaviour relate to skin cancer risk.

They found a statistical association between frequent sunscreen use and higher rates of four types of skin cancer. But an association does not mean that sunscreen caused those cancers. Statistics can be accurate while the explanation attached to them is wrong.

Researchers explain the seemingly strange result with what is known as the “sunscreen paradox.” Some people may feel fully protected after they apply sunscreen and then spend longer in the sun. In other words, sunscreen can create a false sense of security when people treat it as complete protection.

Sunscreen also needs to be reapplied about every two hours to remain effective. Experts have suggested a different explanation too. Some people may start using sunscreen regularly only after they have already received a skin cancer diagnosis.

So sunscreen itself is not the danger. The problem starts when people treat it as permission to stay in the sun for as long as they like. The World Health Organization also says sunscreen should not be used as a reason to spend more time in the sun.

Sunscreen does not raise cancer risk. It helps protect against it

Sunscreen does not cause skin cancer. The evidence points in the opposite direction. Regular sunscreen use can lower the risk of skin cancer.

One of the most important human studies on the subject is the Nambour randomised controlled trial, which took place in Australia and was published in 2010. Researchers followed 1,621 adults for around four and a half years. Squamous cell carcinoma was less common in the group that used sunscreen every day. Researchers also found no evidence that daily use caused harm. The long term follow up told a similar story. There were 11 cases of melanoma among people who used sunscreen daily, compared with 22 in the group that did not use it every day.

A meta-analysis published in 2019 examined more than 21,000 melanoma cases across 28 studies. Once factors such as sun exposure, sunburn and skin characteristics were taken into account, the results pointed to a lower risk among people who used sunscreen. More recent evidence reaches the same conclusion.

A systematic review published in 2026 brought together randomised controlled trials and found that daily sunscreen use reduced the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma.

The American Academy of Dermatology lists sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher as one way to reduce the risk of skin cancer. The Turkish Society of Medical Oncology recommends reapplying sunscreen every two hours so that it continues to protect the skin.

What about benzene in some sunscreens?

A separate claim focuses on benzene, which has been detected in some sunscreen products.

Benzene is a colourless, flammable liquid. Long term exposure at high levels can increase the risk of certain cancers.

The reassuring part is that benzene is not a standard ingredient in sunscreen. In 2021, benzene was detected as an unwanted contaminant in some products. The amount matters too. The FDA uses 2 parts per million as a limit when it assumes daily use of 10 grams of product. The limit is intended to keep daily exposure below 20 micrograms

Some products that exceeded the limit were recalled. None of that means sunscreen as a whole is carcinogenic.

At the time, the US Food and Drug Administration advised people not to use the recalled products. It still recommended sunscreen as part of protection from the sun.

A risk assessment also estimated that the amount of benzene people could absorb from these products was lower than exposure from many environmental sources that people encounter in everyday life.

Sunscreen misinformation gets more engagement

Videos that discourage sunscreen use are not the majority on TikTok, but their reach can be much louder than their numbers suggest.

According to a study published in 2026, 87 percent of the 971 most viewed sunscreen videos on TikTok supported sunscreen use. Six percent contained misleading claims that sunscreen was harmful or unnecessary. Despite making up only a small share of the videos, misleading posts received more engagement.

Researchers do not yet know exactly why misinformation attracts more attention.

The findings do show, however, that misinformation does not need to be widespread to attract attention on social media. Even a relatively small number of misleading posts can reach large audiences and spread quickly.