Influencers have claimed you don't need SPF and can instead 'build up' melanin. READ MORE:Young people are risking skin cancer by following advice of influencers urging against using SPF, experts have warned.
In one Instagram story, posted by influencer Lauyrn Goodman, she told her near 200,000 followers 'you're brought up to wear sun cream protect yourself', but 'everything you think you know isn't correct'. Instead 'training your skin is key', the 33-year-old who has two children with the married England footballer Kyle Walker, said
'For people with lighter skin tones, there is a common misconception that you can build up a base tan which will protect you.It can happen abroad or in the UK.Advertisement 'A tan is a reaction to sun damage, so to develop a base tan, you have to damage your skin. 'These tend to be very effective ways of protecting your skin – though ideally you would use sunscreen in addition to these options as a final line of defence.'
Meanwhile, US influencer Kirby Long, who boasts 121,000 Instagram followers, admitted she does not 'really ever wear sun cream' and 'believes it does more harm than good'. He told MailOnline: 'Building a base tan is fine. But you have still got to have that level of protection. In another post, personal trainer and influencer James Middleton also told Instagram: 'The sun is incredibly powerful so it's important to be safe in it but it's also one of the best things for your health.' He added: 'If you're wearing sunscreen make sure it's NON-TOXIC. Mineral sunscreen is the best option'
Encouraging him to talk 'about the health benefits of the sun and why we maybe don't need sunscreen', he responded: 'The sun is life giving and nourishing.' She added: 'If your sunscreen contains oxybenzone, avobenzone, octinoxate or titanium dioxide, throw it out.'Mineral UV filters mainly remain on the skin’s surface and form a physical barrier to deflect UV rays before they penetrate your skin.In April, ex-The Hills star and podcaster Kristin Cavallari revealed she doesn't wear sun cream.