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Bizarre videos claiming sunburns ‘aren’t dangerous’ are flooding TikTok, study warns
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- A study published in PLOS Digital Health found that sunscreen misinformation on TikTok, though only 13% of related content, generates significantly higher engagement than pro-sunscreen videos.
- The research emphasized that widely used chemical sunscreen ingredients, such as oxybenzone, are scientifically considered safe, and not using sunscreen is never safer during sun exposure.
- Some TikTok videos falsely claim sunscreens act as endocrine disruptors, contaminate breastmilk, contain microplastics, and harm ecosystems, despite 86% of videos promoting sunscreen for skin protection.
- The American Academy of Dermatology reports that nearly half of Americans perform poorly on sun safety knowledge, with 33% of Gen Z scoring a “D” or “F,” highlighting the impact of social media misinformation.
- Dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick attributes about 95% of sunscreen misinformation to social media influence, noting that influencers’ behaviors and claims contribute to public confusion.
