What age do you think the average American starts taking sunscreen seriously? It seems like the skin care consumer is getting younger and younger, but a poll conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by the Melanoma Research Alliance found that 26 is when Americans start to get serious about sun care. Of course, we know that damage has already been done at that point.
The poll surveyed 2,000 adults in the United States to find out that 26 is when the average American buckles down on sun care. But that wasn't all they found.
The survey also found that only 20% use facial sunscreen, 21% use body sunscreen and 79% have experienced sunburn. Unfortunately, nearly 70% of Americans still think that sunscreen is a summertime thing, while only 30% use it also in winter.
Related: Top Sun Care Trends In 2024
Generation/Gender Sunscreen Differences
The survey did find that when it comes to sunscreen usage, Gen Z is doing better than Gen X, with a 34% usage for body and a 35% usage for face. Conversely, Gen X has a 23% usage for body and 18% for face.
Women responded to wearing sunscreen more frequently than men, with 42% of women being concerned about skin cancer versus 39% of men.Sunscreen Misinformation
An interesting part of the poll is that even though 72% say they know about sun protection and 81% know the risks of melanoma, only 3% wear sunblock when not outside or in direct sunlight.
Other uses include when driving, working on a screen or in a nail salon. Conversely, 72% wear it when outside or in direct sunlight. Many responded that their sunscreen usage depends on overcast, rainy weather, daily UV index and time of year.
So, why aren't they wearing it all the time? The answer could be that many of them are getting their sunscreen information from the internet and social media. An equal amount (32%) of those surveyed were getting their information from the internet as were getting their info from their doctor. Social media is the info source for 12%, with Facebook leading the charge, followed by YouTube and TikTok. Almost half of (44%) those surveyed in Gen Z are getting their sunscreen information on social media.
Future Skin Health
The top reason that the respondents use sunscreen is not what you would think. Though 39% are worried about aging and 56% are worried about skin cancer, a whopping 58% are just worried about burning.
Even though the risks are real and sunscreen usage is still not where it should be, only 34% of respondents see a dermatologist. Of those who visit a derm, nearly one fifth see the derm less than once a year. Oftentimes, they prioritize their primary doctor, and when they do see a derm, it is for other skin issues.
