Is Sunscreen Toxic? Dermatologist Explains Chemical vs Mineral SPF, UV Damage & Skin Cancer

This week I'm joined by Dr Michael, dermatologist and skin cancer specialist, and someone who has dedicated his career to changing the way we understand sun, skin and one of the most preventable yet misunderstood cancers in the world.We explore sunscreen, UV exposure, vitamin D, skin cancer and what you actually need to know to protect yourself and the people you love.Dr Michael is a board-certified dermatologist specialising in skin cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. He is on a mission to reframe how we think about sun exposure and sunscreen, cutting through the noise to give people genuinely actionable, evidence-based guidance. He sees the consequences of sun damage and late stage skin cancer diagnoses every day and believes that with the right information, most of it is preventable.What we explore together:•The truth about sunscreen — is it actually good for you or are we getting it wrong•Why most people are applying sunscreen incorrectly and what the right amount actually looks like•The sunscreen and vitamin D debate and what the science really says•Why darker skin tones are more at risk of vitamin D deficiency and what to do about it•When you should be getting skin checks and what to look for yourself•How quickly skin cancer can progress and what the warning signs are•What the latest research says about sunscreen chemicals and whether they are harmfulLove, Sarah Ann 💛My book 'Healthy Shouldn't Be This Hard': https://www.amazon.co.uk/Healthy-Shouldnt-Be-This-Hard-ebook/dp/B0G1DHNRV5This episode is sponsored by:NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today👉 15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/PULSETTO: Vagus nerve stimulation for stress, sleep and calm👉 Use code SARAHANN at https://pulsetto.sjv.io/SARAHANNThe Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more, not less.👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/t…Reset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout, this is where to start.👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/r...👉 Practical beats perfect. Here's a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who read The Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/Let's be friends!📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/SarahAnnMacklin📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livewellbewellpodcast💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/Chapters00:00 Introduction03:01 Why sleep and sunlight are the foundation of skin health05:58 How UV actually works and what it does to your skin08:59 Why younger skin responds differently to sun damage11:58 Why the sunscreen data is more complicated than we think15:07 How much sunscreen you actually need to apply17:54 Sunscreen, vitamin D and darker skin tones21:13 The mission to reframe how we think about sun exposure23:49 Sunscreen chemicals and whether they are harmful27:08 What harmful actually means in the context of the data29:54 Xeroderma Pigmentosum and what it tells us about UV33:13 When to get a skin check and what to look for35:53 How to check your own skin properly38:54 How quickly skin cancer can progress42:03 Sarah's own skin cancer screening experience44:53 Breast cancer screening and what we learned48:02 Red light therapy and photobiomodulation50:56 Cosmetic dermatology and what actually works54:12 Lasers, treatments and what to consider57:05 What good skin really looks like and how to get there60:14 The radiation oncology study that changed everything63:03 Getting sunscreen right and making it a habit66:02 Melanoma rates and what the numbers are telling us