TikTok sunscreen myths draw outsized engagement, study finds

Sunscreen misinformation is drawing disproportionate attention on TikTok, according to a study published Thursday in PLOS Digital Health. The finding matters because dermatologists say false claims about sun protection can shape habits that affect skin cancer risk.

Researchers at the University of Alberta in Canada reviewed nearly 1,000 highly viewed TikTok videos tied to the five most popular sunscreen-related hashtags. They found that 87% of the videos supported sunscreen use, but the posts containing misinformation had the highest engagement.

Alessandro Marcon, the study’s lead author and a University of Alberta researcher who studies how health information spreads in media, said the misleading claims included statements that sunburns are not dangerous and that sunscreen is toxic. He said some videos alleged sunscreen could disrupt hormones, cause cancer, contain carcinogens, affect breast milk or include microplastics.

The study said much of the misinformation focused on chemical sunscreens, which use chemical filters to absorb ultraviolet radiation. Mineral sunscreens use titanium dioxide or zinc oxide to block harmful rays.

The researchers wrote that there are no current scientific indications that widely used ingredients in chemical sunscreens, including oxybenzone, harm human health. Dr. Molly Hales, a dermatologist and researcher at the University of Chicago, said both chemical and mineral sunscreens are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and must undergo safety testing before sale.

Marcon said concerns about microplastics are understandable because they are widespread in daily life. But he said there is no sign that sunscreen exposes people to higher levels than other sources.

Dermatologists told NBC News that sunscreen myths are increasingly showing up in patient conversations. Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York who was not involved in the study, said he often has to explain that sunscreen helps prevent harm and does not cause skin cancer or vitamin D deficiency.

Rossi said the claim that sunscreen causes vitamin D deficiency has spread widely on social media. He pointed to studies finding that regular daily sunscreen use does not make people vitamin D deficient.

The findings add to broader concerns about how young people get skin care information online. The American Academy of Dermatology’s annual sun safety survey this year found that one-third of Gen Z respondents received a failing grade on sun safety knowledge. The academy said 36% of Gen Z respondents reported using influencers as their main source of skin care information, while 64% said they had seen sunscreen misinformation online.

Dr. Marisa Garshick, a dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York and an American Academy of Dermatology fellow, told NBC News she attributes most sunscreen misinformation to social media. She said it can come directly from posts criticizing sunscreen or indirectly from influencers who promote tanning through their own behavior.

Garshick said she is seeing more basal and squamous cell skin cancer diagnoses in younger patients. She said some harmful sun exposure begins in childhood, which makes teen exposure to misleading online information a concern.

Hales said some new patients are surprised to learn dermatologists recommend daily sunscreen, including on days when they are not planning extended outdoor activity.

Garshick said people should choose a sunscreen they will use consistently, whether it is chemical or mineral. She also noted that the FDA recently cleared bemotrizinol, a UV filter already used internationally, expanding sunscreen options in the United States.

Marcon urged users to be cautious with health content on social platforms, especially when a creator’s message is tied to a product for sale. He said audiences should be wary of posts that trigger fear or promote fringe ideas or political agendas over scientific consensus.

This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.