skin preparation, tanning accelerator… Four preconceived ideas about sun protection

Many misconceptions persist in the collective imagination about the use of sunscreen, some of which are massively relayed on social networks. An overview of these clichés that die hard.

Should you prepare your skin for the sun? Are tanning accelerator sunscreens useful? These are all questions that arise when you go on vacation and have to pack your suitcase. In recent months, on social media, a lot of advice on applying sunscreen has revived certain misconceptions. Laurence Coiffard, a doctor of pharmacy and professor at the University of Nantes, responds to these clichés that sometimes turn out to be dangerous for your health.

You have to “prepare your skin for the sun”

Who has never heard that you should take food supplements, eat carrots or apply creams to prepare your skin and avoid sunburn before the first exposure to the sun? This idea makes a comeback before the start of each summer. But according to Laurence Coiffard, there is no point in preparing your skin for the sun, just as “We do not prepare our liver for alcohol or our lungs for tobacco.” “The only way to protect ourselvesshe recalls, It is to stay in the shade and use wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen 50+ for open areas”.

You should “wear sunscreen every day of the year”

Many content creators advise wearing sunscreen every day. They themselves claim to apply it every morning, under their makeup, “even when it rains, even when it’s windy, even when there are clouds… SPF is worn all year round”explains for example the YouTuber with more than three million subscribers Sananas in a video on her favorite solar products.

Yet another false idea, deplores Laurence Coiffard. “You should not mix your daily routine with sun protection at all.she warns. Sun protection should be used generously, reapplied every two hours.”recalls the expert, or, “nobody does it”according to her.

“When there is no sun, when you are an urban dweller and you work indoors, you don’t need sun protection.”

Laurence Coiffard

to franceinfo

So it is not enough to apply cream only in the morning, it gives “a false idea of ​​personal security”. Moreover, “vs“It’s a gadget, overconsumption of cosmetic products, we are not in a public health perspective”deplores Laurence Coiffard. She also warns about certain products such as sprays or sun mists. “We put a few sprays on, and in the end, we don’t know how much we’re applying.”she explains.

You can use a protection that “accelerates tanning”

Beyond self-tanners, more and more brands are offering sun protection “accelerators” or “sublimators” tanning. Yet another marketing trap, denounces Laurence Coiffard, it is not “absolutely not useful and on the contrary, extremely dangerous”. “It is a completely contradictory marketing message to talk about both protection and tanning, and even more so to say tanning accelerator.”she regrets. Especially since often, this kind of formula contains “tyrosine derivatives, which are emerging allergens”, which can therefore cause reactions.

Sunscreens are “bad for your skin”

Some influencers are now encouraging “no-sunscreen”, they refuse to apply sunscreen. “It’s terribly bad for your skin.”says for example an American TikTok user.

“Uncontrolled, unprotected sun exposure leads to skin cancers 10, 20, 30 years after said exposure”repeats Laurence Coiffard, who recalls the importance of applying protection “in large quantities, every two hours”in case of exposure, but also to cover up to protect the skin from the sun’s rays.

Finally, she is keen to point out that there is no point in waiting between applying a cream and exposing yourself to the sun. “A sunscreen is effective as soon as you apply it.”