Friday, June 13, 2025
Like everyone else, I’ve welcomed the shift to warmer weather this month. The birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and more people are spending time outdoors. I don’t have to tell you why — just look up. The sun is back, high in the sky, and with it comes a timely reminder: Don’t forget the sunscreen.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, but also one of the most preventable. It affects people of all skin tones and the most likely cause is overexposure to ultraviolet light, or more simply put, the sun. The main types of skin cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. Melanoma, while less common, is the most aggressive, and often referred to as a “silent killer” due to its early metastatic spread.
My dad has battled skin cancer multiple times. He’s vigilant about checking his skin for unusual moles, freckles and sunspots, and late last year he noticed a new growth on his shoulder blade.
A dermatologist quickly took a biopsy, and the results confirmed melanoma. Surgery was scheduled to promptly remove the mole and a wide margin of surrounding skin, leaving a six-inch, cross-sectional scar across his back. His medical team is confident that the cancer was caught in time and removed in totality.
As we head outside and soak up the sun, I can’t think of a better time to share my dad’s story. With his naturally fair skin, he’s especially cautious. He wears baseball caps to shield his face, opts for long-sleeved sun shirts designed to block harmful UV rays, and rarely skips sunscreen on any exposed skin — especially in warmer weather.
There’s growing misinformation about sunscreen, with one of the most persistent myths professing that the product — or more specifically, the chemicals in it — can cause cancer, too. This concern was amplified when certain sunscreens were recalled after they were found to contain benzene, a known carcinogen.
While the contamination was a manufacturing issue and not an ingredient in sunscreen formulas, the damage was done. Despite repeated assurances from medical experts that sunscreen is overwhelmingly safe and effective, a wave of online misinformation has fueled an “anti-sunscreen” movement — putting more people at risk just as we enter peak sun exposure season.
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month — a time when national and local organizations step up their efforts to educate the public about prevention. One such group is the Long Island-based Colette Coyne Melanoma Awareness Campaign, named in memory of Colette, who died from the disease. Each year, the campaign partners with Nassau County, gathering at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building in early May to deliver a simple but vital message: The safest way to enjoy summer is to protect your skin.
Despite the critics, there is no medical evidence that suggests sunscreen causes cancer. Evidence overwhelmingly informs the public that sun, and artificial forms of UV light such as tanning beds, are the most common culprits. Many different types of sunblock are available — including chemical sunscreens, which absorb into the skin, and physical blocker sunscreens, or “mineral sunscreens,” which act as a barrier on the skin’s surface.
I think it’s important that people make medical decisions they feel are best for them, and use products that they feel safest using. But the truth is if people consistently skip sun protection, they are two to three times more likely to develop skin cancer over their lifetime, compared with those who use sunscreen regularly. Opting to avoid using sunblock out of fear of the chemicals it contains is not only ignorant, but also dangerous.
I’m not a medical professional, just someone who’s watched my dad undergo a number of procedures to remove cancer. If you’re hesitant about chemical sunscreens, I get it — there are plenty of “cleaner” options out there. I use one myself. What matters most is using something, because doing nothing is the real risk.
Women get mammograms to detect breast cancer. Adults over 45 get colonoscopies to catch colon cancer early. So why skip one of the simplest, most accessible tools we have to prevent skin cancer before it starts?
There’s no need to gamble with your health when we have everything we need to make conscious decisions, ones that are far more likely to help you — rather than hurt you — in the long run.
Jordan Vallone is a senior editor of the Herald Community Newspapers. Comments? jvallone@liherald.com.
