This deserves to be the top most concern because what kind of world are we headed towards? How is everyone suddenly getting sick from this and that disease and among that we are also having skin cancer????
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a proven carcinogen. The World Health Organization (WHO) and American Cancer Society state that unprotected sun exposure significantly increases the risk of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
Regular use of broad-spectrum sunscreen (of at least SPF 30) has been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce the incidence of actinic keratoses (precancerous lesions) and skin cancers (WHO, Skin Cancer Prevention).
UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin and accelerate photoaging - leading to wrinkles, loss of elasticity, and hyperpigmentation. Whereas UVB rays affect more of the surface layer leading to sunburns, blistering and skin cancer.
Both UVA and UVB cause tanning, though they do so in different ways. UVA rays cause an "immediate" tan by oxidizing pre-existing melanin, while UVB rays stimulate melanocytes to produce more melanin, leading to a "delayed" tan that takes longer to appear. A tan from either type of radiation is a sign of skin damage and can increase the risk of skin cancer.
Daily sunscreen use slows visible aging compared to people who do not use sunscreen + also helps with maintaining an overall skin color. This is especially a bit ‘challening’ to be explained to the western side of the world that is point blank crazy to get a TAN as if its an accessory, but what they fail to understand is how caucasian skin itself has a very low sun protection factor due to extremely less melanin.
On the other side, eastern side of the world, especially the asian countries take sun protection quite seriously, especially people in Japan and South Korea.
I mean see the whole world and take good lessons from everyone.
Protective clothing, hats, and shade are helpful but do not block all UV exposure.
Seeking shade when UV radiation is the most intense is indeed important but one must keep in mind that shade structures such as trees, umbrellas or canopies do not offer complete UV protection. You are still exposed to UV from scattered radiation and reflections, especially in the snow, or in areas with bright surfaces like water surfaces, sandy beaches, or white buildings. (As per one WHO article)
Sunscreen, especially SPF 30 and above with broad-spectrum coverage, is the only method that directly blocks or absorbs both UVA and UVB rays on exposed skin according to the U.S. FDA and American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
Concerns about absorption of ingredients (e.g., oxybenzone) exist, but current evidence does not show harmful health effects at levels absorbed. Mineral sunscreens (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) offer safe alternatives even for children and sensitive skin (FDA Sunscreen Safety Update, 2021).