Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and data shows that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70. For healthy skin, experts advise that protection is important not only for preventing cancer, but for anti-aging benefits as well.
But there are thousands of products on the market, and many social media accounts, blogs and forums dolling out advice and sharing skincare routines, which means there is a lot to parse when it comes to skin health, particularly on the topic of sunscreen.
There are many misconceptions, and just as many questions like “who needs sunscreen?”, “do I really need to reapply sunscreen throughout the day? When? How often?” and “do I have to use sunscreen even in winter?”
CNBC Make It spoke to Dr. Adam Friedman, professor and chair of dermatology at GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and he shared some facts about sunscreen that may surprise you.
Many Americans don’t think applying sunscreen is super important. Only 17% of U.S. adults reported using sunscreen daily, according to a 2024 survey of 2,200 Americans.
