When reality TV star Sam Faiers revealed last week her children don’t wear sun protection, she became the latest celebrity to claim that sunscreens are ‘harmful’ and full of ‘toxic ingredients’.
Posting to her 2.5million followers on Instagram, the former The Only Way Is Essex star, 34, shared photographs of her children Paul, nine, Rosie, seven, and Edward, two, as they holidayed in Majorca.
She wrote: ‘My whole family don’t actually wear sunscreen.
‘Over the years, the kids have built up a really good tolerance to being in the sun.
‘Of course, if it’s really hot and the sun feels too harsh, I’ll make sure we head into the shade… I’m really careful about sunscreen in general, because a lot of them are actually pretty harmful and full of toxic ingredients.’
Other celebrities have adopted the same approach: influencers Kelsey Parker and Lauryn Goodman have told their followers they ignore NHS advice to wear sun protection factor of at least 30.
Health experts are horrified at what they see as a dangerous conspiracy theory, fearing a fall in sunscreen use will lead to a rise in skin cancer.
According to market researchers Mintel, 72 per cent of UK adults used sun protection in the 12 months to September 2024, falling from 77 per cent in the same period in 2023. So, how did the worrying pseudo-science about sunscreen take hold?
Reality TV star Sam Faiers revealed last week that her children don’t wear sun protection – and became the latest celebrity to claim sunscreens are ‘harmful’ and full of ‘toxic ingredients’
Taking to Instagram, Sam Faiers wrote: ‘So this is always a bit of a controversial one, but honestly, me and my whole family don’t actually wear sunscreen’
After the publication of a scientific paper on sunscreens, Dr Tro Kalayjian (pictured), a specialist in obesity, stepped into the debate by telling his 158,000 Twitter followers: ‘Have said this many times now: Be careful what you smear on yourself and your children’
The Mail on Sunday has traced its genesis back to a scientific paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and posted on Twitter in May 2019.
The paper, by 19 scientists, tested four sunscreens on the market and found the concentrations of some chemicals exceeded thresholds established by the US Food and Drug Administration.
It made clear further studies were needed to determine the clinical significance: ‘These results do not indicate individuals should refrain from the use of sunscreen.’
But the next day, New York medic Dr Tro Kalayjian, a specialist in obesity, stepped into the debate.
He reposted the paper and told his 158,000 Twitter followers: ‘Have said this many times now: Be careful what you smear on yourself and your children.’
Over the next six years, the 2019 paper – Effect of Sunscreen Application Under Maximal Use Conditions on Plasma Concentration of Sunscreen Active Ingredients – has become one of the most hotly debated scientific works on Twitter and social media site BlueSky.
Just last month, Dr Tro, as he refers to himself online, wrote on the website of his company Toward Health: ‘Our skin and our gut are literally the physical ways our bodies interact with the world.
‘They’re how we absorb sunlight and nutrition… but also how toxins, heavy metals, parasites, plastics, and chemicals make their way into our bodies.’
Former TOWIE star Sam (pictured) revealed none of her family use sunscreen as she wrongly claimed some brands of SPF are ‘harmful’ and full of ‘toxic ingredients’
He added: ‘I often tell patients, ‘If you wouldn’t trust it inside your body, think twice before putting it on your skin or in your mouth’.’
While Dr Tro does not advise against all sunscreens, he says some – like other cosmetics – contain harmful substances. He says barriers such as clothing, hats and shade should be considered.
He founded Toward Health, which specialises in obesity treatment and diabetes management in New York in 2017 after losing 150lb on a low-carbohydrate diet.
Dr Tro told The MoS: ‘I understand those who deeply value public health messaging may struggle with the idea previously recommended practices can become outdated or even unsafe.
‘It can feel more comfortable to trust the guidance as-is and view any challenge to it as fearmongering or misinformation.
‘But the truth is, these issues are complex. People benefit most when they think critically and independently. Public health messages are important and should be heard, but should also be open to question, especially when the science evolves faster than the guidelines.’
Kelsey Parker previously claimed that her children ‘don’t burn’ and wrongly alleged that SPF ’causes skin cancer’
Lauryn Goodman also spoke out about suncream last year after she took to Instagram to tell her followers: ‘Everything you think you know isn’t correct’
UK doctors dismissed the scares. Skin cancer prevention doctor Ross Perry said he is ‘horrified’ by influencers’ comments, calling Ms Faiers ‘naive and irresponsible’.
Dr Perry told The MoS: ‘Children do not build up a tolerance to sun exposure – they are just storing up more sun damage for later on in life.
‘It is a well-known fact if children get any degree of sunburn, it more than doubles their risk of getting skin cancer at a later date so that is completely false and misleading.
‘Remember any tan or sunburn is creating damage to the skin so SPF should always be worn in the sun.’
