The trend of making homemade sunscreen has been gaining popularity on social media, but Health Canada is warning parents about the potential risks. These DIY sunscreens are unlikely to protect effectively against the sun’s harmful UV rays, putting you and your family at risk.
Health Canada strongly advises using only authorized sunscreen products. Approved sunscreens in Canada have a Drug Identification Number (DIN) or Natural Product Number (NPN), indicating that they have passed strict safety and efficacy evaluations.
There’s a lot of misleading information on social media claiming that sunscreen ingredients are harmful and can cause cancer. However, Health Canada ensures that all authorized sunscreens are safe when used as directed.
“I just think when it comes to skin cancer and cancer in general, do-it-yourself is probably not the way to go,” Kishan Shah, a dermatologist with Epiphany Dermatology told FoxNews.
“The sunscreen and zinc oxide that you’re buying in a bottle has either been coated in, like a product to help it not clump together, it’s been regulated in terms of the size to help it spread evenly and then, you know, there’s large machines that actually equalize all of the zinc oxide particles within the sunscreen itself,” he said.
Adding, “Oils themselves can actually cause burns even when applied to the skin and so if you’re combining things like zinc oxide that’s sort of clumping together, and then there was holes within the oil, only alone, you can get a worse burn in that, in that location.”
Sun exposure without proper protection is the leading cause of skin cancer. Sunscreens are vital in reducing this risk, protecting against sunburn, and preventing premature skin aging. For maximum protection, combine sunscreen with other sun safety measures like wearing protective clothing, seeking shade, and avoiding peak sun hours.
In 2018, Health Canada conducted a safety review of sunscreen products and found no new safety concerns. While rare skin reactions can occur in individuals with specific allergies or sensitivities, the benefits of using sunscreen far outweigh these risks.
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