Here’s why you need to use sunscreen — despite what’s said on TikTok

Health Care admin September 17, 2026 0 Comments

Here’s why you need to use sunscreen — despite what’s said on TikTok

Roughly 40% of people under 30 and another 25% of people under 50 use TikTok as a main source of news and information.

While TikTok can be a great way to share ideas and entertainment, it shouldn’t be used as a source of truth for medical information. One trend I’m seeing in my younger patients is falling for common myths they hear about on TikTok when it comes to their skin health.

Here are a few of the most common sunscreen myths I hear about on social media that you should absolutely skip to keep your skin protected.

Myth: You need to stop using sunscreen to protect the reefs

While it is true that some sunscreen ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate have been linked to coral bleaching in high concentrations, going without sun protection isn’t the answer. Reef-safe, mineral formulas with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are a better solution. They offer the same broad-spectrum protection without ingredients that can harm reefs.

Myth: Your diet can protect you from the sun

Antioxidant-rich foods like tomatoes and dark chocolate can offer the skin some support against UV-related stress, but diet alone is not a replacement for SPF. Similarly, avoiding seed oils and processed foods can be great for your health, but it won’t keep your skin protected from the harmful effects of UV radiation from the sun.

Myth: Coconut oil works just as well as SPF

Coconut oil provides an SPF of about 4 to 8, which is nowhere near the SPF 30 needed if you are outdoors and exposed to the sun. Relying on coconut oil alone will not protect your skin from accelerated aging or skin cancer.

Myth: Darker skin tones don’t need sunscreen

Melanin, which produces your hair, eye and skin pigmentation, provides some natural defense against UV rays, but it doesn’t come close to eliminating risk. People with darker skin tones can absolutely develop skin cancer, and it’s often caught later, when it’s harder to treat.

The good news is there are now many excellent tinted sunscreen options that blend well into darker skin tones with no white cast, so there’s no reason to skip SPF.

Bottom line

There really is no substitute for diligent, daily sunscreen use, no matter your age, skin type or color. Find an SPF that feels good on your skin and that works for you so you will want to wear it every day and not fall for these harmful myths!

I am now seeing patients on Wednesdays at Body + Beauty Lab in Bay Harbor. Have questions for me? Come join the conversation on Reddit at r/skintypesolutions.