This is the shocking reason why you should always wear sunscreen on a plane

Board-certified dermatologistDr. Joyce Park is the founder of Skin Refinery, a virtual dermatology clinic. She shared a video on her TikTok account @teawithmd where she revealed the risks of not wearing sunscreen on a plane. The clip has gone viral, with 1.8 million views, 100.7k likes on TikTok, and over 700 comments, with many sharing their own experiences.

Why you should wear sunscreen on a plane

The video shows Park seemingly sitting on a plane. The text overlaid on the video read:

Dermatology lesson #21: When you learn that pilots have 2x incidence of melanoma [the third most common type of skin cancer] and you should ABSOLUTELY wear sunscreen on airplanes or keep the windows shut.

The text revealed that 'flying in the cockpit for 56 minutes at 30K feet received the same amount of UV radiation as that from a 20 minute tanning sesh [session]'.

Here, Park is referring to a 2015 study of airline crew, published in the peer-reviewed JAMA Dermatology, which found they have 'approximately twice the incidence of melanoma compared with the general population'.

The text on the clip added:

Even MORE UVA is reflected when flying over thick clouds and snow. Windows block UVB not UVA.

In the caption accompanying the video, the dermatologist wrote that the study measured 'the amount of UV radiation in airplane cockpits during flight and compared them to UVA carcinogenic [cancer-causing] effective doses in tanning beds. Turns out you get a heck of a lot of UV exposure as a pilot'.

Park recommended wearing sunscreen or keeping the window shade shut 'to reduce exposure to UVA during your flight'. She said:

After all, you don't want 1/2 of your face getting more sun damage than the other! The more you know!

Read more ⋙ Hugh Jackman sends important warning after health scare: 'I've had 5 facial cancers'

Read more:

⋙ Cancer: Itchy skin might be an early sign of cancer

⋙ Skin cancer: A dark line on your nail could be a sign

Claims confirmed by other pilots

Surgeon Dr. Jaimie DeRosa confirmed Park's claims to Newsweek, saying:

I'm a pilot and definitely have learned to be extra-vigilant with sun protection when in the air.

DeRosa said wearing sunscreen is vital when flying because the atmosphere gets thinner as you go higher up in the sky. She said:

The atmosphere helps to scatter damaging UV rays, so the thinner the atmosphere, this protection dwindles and the UV rays are more powerful and damaging.

Social media users also commented on the video with their own stories. TikTok user Justine wrote:

I was a flight attendant for 2 years and ended up with stage iv melanoma, can confirm. lol

Marie wrote:

My dad dies of a brain tumour caused by a late stage melanoma. He was a pilot. Can confirm. His best friend died of it this year too.

While Chelsea Reinoehl commented:

Not my pilot husband with a melanoma growing inside the borders of a normal mole. I badgered him for 6 months and he finally got it biopsied.

Sources used:

Newsweek: 'Dermatologist Reveals Why You Need to Wear Sunscreen on a Plane'

@teawithmd TikTok