A pair of 'alternative' parents say they will not use sun lotion on their young children, claiming cancer caused by the sun is a myth. Adele and Matt Allen believe that it's 'carcinogens' in the cream itself that is the real danger.
The couple, from Brighton, follow an 'off-grid' lifestyle and run their own YouTube channel The Unconventional Parent. Adele and Matt, who have three children, Ulysses, nine, Ostara, five, and baby Kai, previously caused controversy for saying they let all three children co-sleep with them, allow them to decide what they want to eat and have no fixed bedtime.
They have previously slammed the NHS for citing coronavirus as a cause of death. Speaking to The Sun, Adele said: "A lot of people believe the myth that the sun gives you the big C. But in reality, the sunscreen that most people use contains carcinogens so if anything, it's the sun creams that are causing the problems and dehydration."
The parents, who have also banned sunglasses, say they move to the shade when it's too hot and they like to build up 'resistance' to the rays.
What the NHS says
Melanoma (skin cancer) is caused by skin cells that begin to develop abnormally Exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun is thought to cause most melanomas, but there's evidence to suggest that some may result from sunbed exposure.
The type of sun exposure that causes melanoma is sudden intense exposure. For example, while on holiday, which leads to sunburn. Certain things can increase your chance of developing melanoma, such as having:
- lots of moles or freckles
- pale skin that burns easily
- red or blonde hair
- a close family member who's had melanoma
Skin cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK. Around 16,000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed each year. More than one in four skin cancer cases are diagnosed in people under 50, which is unusually early compared with most other types of cancer.
Over recent years, skin cancer has become much more common in the UK. This is thought to be the result of increased exposure to intense sunlight while on holiday abroad. More than 2,300 people die every year in the UK from melanoma.
