Health Canada is warning people to avoid the homemade sunscreen recipes being shared on social media.
"Making and using homemade sunscreen products presents risks, as they are unlikely to be effective at protecting you from the sun’s harmful UV rays," an advisory issued Friday states.
"Use only sunscreens approved for sale in Canada to protect against the sun’s UV rays. Consumers can identify approved sunscreens by their Drug Identification Number (DIN) or Natural Product Number (NPN)."
Health Canada notes that there is online misinformation claiming that sunscreen ingredients are harmful to the skin and can cause cancer. Not so, states the advisory: "All authorized sunscreens on the market are safe when used as directed."
Health Canada carried out a safety review in 2018 to assess the risk of skin reactions with sunscreen products, finding no new safety concerns.
"Rare mild to moderate skin reactions may develop in individuals with an allergy or sensitivity to one or more ingredients in sunscreen products; however, the benefits of sunscreen to prevent sunburn and reduce the risk of skin cancer continue to greatly outweigh any risk of local skin reactions," states the advisory.
Exposure to the sun without adequate protection is the leading cause of skin cancer, and sunscreens provide significant health benefits, Health Canada states. When used with other sun protection measures such as protective clothing, shade and avoiding peak sun hours, they reduce the risk of developing skin cancer, protect people from sunburn and protect against premature aging of the skin.
More information on sunscreens is on Health Canada’s website.
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