America's Top Dermatologist on the Anti-Sunscreen Movement
If your feed insists sunscreen is a scam, here is what the president of the American Academy of Dermatology actually says about UV and skin cancer.
Speaking on WBUR's Here & Now on August 14, 2025, AAD President Dr. Susan Taylor described being 'flabbergasted' by the anti-sunscreen movement and called UV radiation a proven carcinogen. About 5 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year, and over 8,000 melanoma deaths were expected in 2025.
Dermatologists, speaking through the AAD's president, emphasize that ultraviolet rays are a proven carcinogen and that decades of evidence link UV exposure to skin cancer, not sunscreen use.
Questions we get a lot
Does sunscreen cause cancer?
There is no credible evidence that wearing sunscreen causes cancer. What is well established is that ultraviolet radiation from the sun is a proven carcinogen, which is why dermatologists urge daily protection. AAD President Dr. Susan Taylor made exactly this point on WBUR's Here & Now in August 2025.
Where did the 2025 anti-sunscreen movement come from?
It grew largely from social media and high-profile personalities promoting the idea that sunscreen is harmful or unnecessary. Coverage in 2025 traced the trend's spread and explained why it conflicts with established science on UV exposure and skin cancer.
How many Americans get skin cancer each year?
About 5 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer annually, and more than 8,000 melanoma deaths were expected in the US in 2025. Those figures are part of why dermatologists view skipping sun protection as the genuine risk.
r/SkincareAddiction: 'My whole FYP is suddenly saying sunscreen causes cancer and we should just get sun. Is there any truth to this or is it all fearmongering?'