Suncream is safe - here are the facts, and five of Sally Foran's faves
Misinformation around sunscreen has unfortunately become more widespread on social media.
Given that false news spreads up to six times faster and reaches more people than truthful content online (according to a 2018 study), this is extremely worrying.
For younger people, it is more worrying still, as many rely on social media as a source of health information.
A recent study from DCU found 57% of Gen Z are influenced by or frequently adopt nutrition trends they've found on TikTok and of those influenced, 67% said that they adopt at least one of these trends a few times a week.
As melanoma is one of the most common cancers in young adults, we need to ensure our children aren't taking their health advice from wellness influencers or celebrities who are sharing damaging and inaccurate myths, including that cancer rates rose with the advent of sunscreen use and, even, that suncreams themselves cause cancer.
The misinformation largely seems to stem from a mix of misinterpretations of lab studies, conspiracy theories and even apps like Yuka which can confuse people by demonising substances that toxicologists (scientists who study the harmful effects of chemicals) deem safe in regulated amounts.
What do the experts say?
It's important to note that, to date, no sunscreen ingredient, mineral or chemical, is classified as carcinogenic by any major health authority, including the Irish Cancer Society and the FDA.
Skin cancer rates are likely increasing due to improved screening and diagnosis and significantly stronger UV radiation. UV rays, NOT sunscreen, are the actual carcinogen; they're classified as a group one carcinogen by the WHO, right next to plutonium.
Thankfully, many dermatologists are now using their social media platforms to debunk this dangerous misinformation and help people make evidence-based choices for their skin health, including dermatologist Caitriona Ryan.
Professor Ryan said one of the "growing myths" she's witnessed online is that chemical sunscreens cause cancer.
"This [myth] is driven by misinterpreted studies. A recent FDA sponsored study did find that some chemical ingredients like oxybenzone and avobenzone are absorbed into the bloodstream at levels that warrant further testing, but absorption doesn't mean harm. There's no evidence that these ingredients cause cancer or health risks at the levels absorbed."
Professor Ryan also points out that the FDA advised consumers to continue using sunscreen as "the proven benefits outweigh any of the theoretical risks'.
A spokesperson for the Irish Cancer Society's website added; "we're often asked if chemicals in sunscreens are harmful, and if they increase your risk of developing cancer. Sunscreen has been used by a large portion of the population for a number of decades and there is no evidence that users come to harm. The research on the chemicals in sunscreen (oxybenzone, retinyl palmitate and parabens) does not show that they cause cancer. None of these chemicals has been classified as a cancer-causing substance by any major scientific organisation."
Sunscreens we love
Modern formulas have become more advanced, lightweight, invisible and comfortable to wear. Here are five of our favourites.
Beauty of Josean Relief Sun: Rice & Probiotics, €17
Beauty of Josean Relief Sun: Rice & Probiotics
€17, Beauty Features
A gorgeous, lightweight gel cream ideal for breakout-prone skin or during hot weather.
This Korean favourite feels like a weightless moisturiser, is fast absorbing, leaves no white cast and sits beautifully under makeup.
What's not to love?
Skingredients Skin Shield Moisturising and Priming SPF50 PA+++
Skingredients Skin Shield
€57, The Skin Nerd
A primer, moisturiser and sunscreen all in one.
It has a gorgeous universal peachy tint (I love it on no makeup days) leaves no chalky white cast or photo flashback.
It contains allantoin to soothe, niacinamide to help reduce redness and vitamin E, an antioxidant, to help protect against premature ageing.
It protects against UVA, UVB, infrared light, pollution and blue light.
CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF 50
CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion
€19, LookFantastic
A lightweight, facial moisturiser with SPF 50+ UVB/UVA protection, plus three essential ceramides, to help protect the skin's natural barrier and provide hydration, making it ideal for dry or mature skin.
It hydrates for up to 24 hours, plays well under makeup and is the only SPF I can get my kids to use!
Lacura Sun Sensitive Face Sun Lotion SPF 50+
Lacura Sensitive Face SPF
€2.99, Aldi
Ideal for those of a sensitive disposition.
It has broad spectrum protection, is water resistant, dermatologically tested and best of all, is only €2.99!
It's been a huge hit with my partner, so it's ideal for any menfolk in your life.
Garnier Super UV Invisible Serum
Garnier Super UV Invisible Serum
€12, CH Tralee
One of the lightest SPFs I've ever tried.
Perfect for anyone who hates sticky or oily sunscreens.
It works on every skin type and doesn't pill under makeup.
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Celeb doctor injected Botox up my NOSE – people tell me I look great thanks to little known secret treatment
LET me start by saying I'm not anti-ageing or anti-wrinkle - at 27, I've got no problem with the idea of looking more mature, and I've come to like the little lines that appear when I laugh and smile. Maybe that will all change. Advertisement 12 Jess Lester tested out Baby Botox for the first time, above after the injections Credit: The Sun 12 She booked an appointment with Dr Brendan Khong Credit: The Sun 12 The aesthetics expert injected Botox up her nose Credit: The Sun 12 Jess says the results were noticeable about a week after the treatments Credit: The Sun But after months of looking at my face in Zoom meetings and feeling like I appeared a little more tired and weathered than I felt, I started to get curious about Botox. Advertisement Not the frozen , wind-tunnel kind, I wanted the whisper of change… the kind that celebrities have before stepping out to say they've tried a new product that's entirely changed their face shape. The kind of tweak where your friends ask if you've 'been sleeping better lately' or started 'using laser treatments' because you've been looking 'more glowy lately'. Enter: Now, I'd heard all the buzz, and the warnings, about microdoses of Botox that are there not to freeze your face in one place, but just soften things slightly, touch things up like Photoshop. And after a few deep dives on TikTok and a couple of late-night WhatsApp group chats (cue my entire family threatening to disown me), I booked an appointment with Dr Brendan Khong. Dr Khong is not your average injector. First off, he doesn't believe in the whole ' Advertisement This is not, he was clear, about injecting twenty-something's into oblivion to change their appearance, and it's not a rocket into the space of an entire new look , just a gentle nudge into the stratosphere. Think a refresh without diving headfirst into the ever-growing pool of I went in asking for three things: a lip flip to lift my top lip slightly without using filler, jaw Botox to slim the face and ease my clenching habit, and a bit of brow Botox to give me that snatched, slightly lifted look, think high fashion catwalk model, not permanently surprised. Instead of plumping the lips with filler, Dr Khong popped a tiny amount of Botox just above my lip, to relax the muscle enough to encourage it to flip up, giving a poutier look without adding volume. I'm Olivia Attwood's beautician here's why you should avoid 'preventative Botox' It doesn't make you look like you've had anything done, just like my top lip, which for a while felt like it was on strike in smiley photos, decided to show up to the party for once. Advertisement The jaw Botox was a little more… spicy - I was warned the needle might feel a little deeper in the skin. 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No. He showed me the results on other clients, and I was sold. 12 Botox was injected just above Jess' lip to relax the muscle enough to encourage it to flip up Credit: The Sun 12 The brow Botox is Dr Khong's 'signature' move Credit: The Sun 12 Jess also got jaw Botox which, although quite uncomfortable, helped slim her face by relaxing the masseter muscles Credit: The Sun It's not a full-on brow lift, but the difference is real, as a friend told me just days after, I looked 'like I'd had a holiday, or a facial, or both at the same time.' I'll take it. Advertisement And to top things off, Dr Khong surprised me by sticking the needle up my nose. Yes, you read that right - in the name facial balancing, one prick more didn't seem a bad idea. What surprised me most was how little Botox was actually used. Baby Botox really is a minimalist's dream. Dr Khong was conservative with the amount. He'd rather I come back for a top-up than overdo it. So what's it like immediately afterwards? Honestly, sort of anticlimactic. You're left with a few tiny needle marks which fade fast, and you can't lie down for four hours, no hardcore workouts, no drinking alcohol for at least 24 hours, no sun tanning, and no sex. Advertisement Luckily, I went on a Wednesday. No plans in store. What surprised me most was how little Botox was actually used. Baby Botox really is a minimalist's dream The results don't show up right away. It took about a week before I noticed the difference, but when I did? Everyone kept telling me how good my skin looked - and I got ID'd buying a pair of scissors. Not one person guessed Botox, so I could tell them green juice, and eight hours of sleep. Lies, all lies - and here I am, spoiling it all for myself. My face still moves, I can still frown (albeit mildly), and I haven't had to defend myself against a single 'you've had work done'. Instead, I just keep hearing: 'You look really well, what's your secret?' Advertisement Just a few tiny jabs. But let's keep that between us, shall we? 12 Baby Botox really is a minimalist's dream, says Jess Lester Credit: The Sun WILL BOTOX KNOCK YEARS OFF MY FACE? By Jack Hardwick "No gym, no sex and certainly no sunbeds for 24-48 hours" - words most guys would hate to hear. But as I sat in the plush clinic at 41 Harley Street, this was my reality. Advertisement 12 Jack Hardwick popped his Botox cherry as his crows feet were becoming more and more visible Credit: The Sun 12 He says he felt his forehead freezing up within 48 hours of the injections Credit: The Sun 12 Jack is very happy with his new complexation Credit: The Sun Though I was promised the short term loss was worth it for the long term gain, as I was about to pop my Botox cherry. As for the reason for my self imposed gym and sex ban? Any strenuous exercise that would raise my heartrate runs the risk of causing the Botox to migrate before it settles into the muscles. Advertisement The areas of concern? My very expressive 31-year-old forehead which seems to have a life of its own - especially after I have a drink - and my eyes. More and more over the past 12 months I've noticed my eyes were beginning to look tired. Dreaded crows feet were becoming more and more visible - especially in certain lighting like on the gym floor or in the office lifts. After months of deliberating with friends - both male and female - I have decided to take matters into my own hands. Many of my friends have been splashing out on Botox for years but for me it's always been a female option - somehow emasculating to admit I've given in to the age old quest of turning back the clock. Advertisement But the past decade has seen a strong rise in men seeking out tweakments. The amount of money spent by men on Botox rose by 400 per cent between 2000 and 2023, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. In 2020 alone, it's estimated that 265,000 men had Botox procedures. Even with that in mind, as I sat down to pop my Botox cherry with Dr Ross at Cosmedics on Harley Street, my brief was clear - I wanted subtle touch ups rather than looking like I was frozen in time. Enough to enhance my look, but subtle enough I could deny if anyone were to ask me. Advertisement When it comes to the six injections I had to remove my crows feet, I couldn't be happier from the get go After being marked up with no less than 20 injection points, it was time to receive my Botox. The best way to describe the feeling is a wasp bite - a quick unpleasant crunch similar to being stung that's over as quick as it began. 'Exactly what I wanted' The worst of these came in the six - three each side - around my eyes. But even then, it was hardly painful. I was told it could take up to a week for the Botox to kick in but due to it being my first time I could feel my forehead freezing up within 48 hours. Some of my mates love the feeling, I on the other hand was unsure. Advertisement Initially I admit I missed my formerly very expressive forehead but within a week I was super happy with my new smooth complexation. When it comes to the six injections I had to remove my crows feet, I couldn't be happier from the get go. Thanks to a few little pricks, this issue has gone. Has it knocked years off my face? No. But do I look fresher and more youthful? Yes. At least I think so - and to be honest that's more than enough for me. In fact, the few people I have told about my trip to Cosemedics had zero idea I'd had anything done - exactly what I wanted. Advertisement Though after showing them before and after pictures everyone can see the improvement. Even my mum, who living in a rural village in 12 The reporter feels more youthful, although the Botox hasn't knocked off years off his face Credit: The Sun Do's & Don'ts before and after Botox Dr. Aamer Khan reveals the do's and don'ts with Botox Do's Before Botox Consult a qualified practitioner with medical training and experience. Inform your practitioner about all medications, supplements, and medical conditions. Avoid alcohol and blood-thinning medications (aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamin E) for 24–48 hours. Stay hydrated and have a light meal before your appointment. Ask questions about the procedure, expectations, and outcomes. Don'ts Before Botox Avoid retinol, glycolic acid, or exfoliants on treatment areas for 24 hours. Don't schedule within 2 weeks of major events to allow time for the treatment to work and any healing. needed, possible bruising, which can occur. Reschedule if you're feeling unwell (cold, infection, etc.). Try to avoid makeup on the day of treatment, unless it is mineral make up. Do's After Botox Gently move treated muscles (smile, frown) to help Botox settle. Stay upright for 4–6 hours post-treatment. Apply cold compresses gently to reduce swelling if there is any. Use mild, non-active skincare to keep skin clean and calm. Don'ts After Botox Do not lie down or bend over for at least 4–6 hours. Avoid touching or rubbing the injected area for 24 hours. Skip workouts and heat exposure (gym, saunas, hot yoga) for 24 hours. Don't apply makeup or active skincare for at least 12–24 hours. Avoid alcohol and blood thinners for 24 hours post-treatment. For any concerns post-treatment, always contact your provider directly. Mild redness, swelling, or bruising is common and usually subsides within a few days.
