“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,” Health Canada’s release reads.
“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,” Health Canada’s release reads.
Making sunscreen at home shouldn’t be one of people’s next social media-inspired DIY projects, according to a new public advisory from Health Canada.
In a release on Friday, Health Canada said people should not use homemade sunscreens, and instead only use those approved for sale in Canada. All sunscreens approved by Health Canada have Drug Identification Number (DIN) or Natural Product Number (NPN), the agency said.
“Do not use homemade sunscreen,” the agency said. “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.”Â
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The warning comes amid a growing number of homemade sunscreen recipes circulating on social media as some people claim that store-bought products have ingredients that are harmful to the skin or can cause cancer — which Health Canada said called “myths and misinformation” in the release.
The agency said found “no new safety concerns” for risks of skin reactions. They added that some people may have an allergy or sensitivity to ingredients in a given product that can cause mild to moderate reactions, but said the benefits of sunscreen to prevent sunburns or reduce the risk of skin cancer outweigh these risks.
Along with sunscreen, Health Canada encouraged people to wear protective clothing, seek shade and avoid peak sun hours to protect from sunburns and reduce the risk of skin cancer.
Nathan Bawaan is a Toronto-based general assignment reporter for
the Star. Reach him via email: nbawaan@thestar.ca
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