Dermatology Hawke’s Bay’s Dr Juber Hafiji was interviewed by TVNZ’s Breakfast programme on Wednesday 31st July to comment on the dangers of homemade sunscreen after US-based TikTok influencer Nara Smith kicked off a sunscreen controversy when she posted a video of her husband mixing up homemade sunscreen. The video, which went viral across social media, piggybacks off a trend towards organic food, clothing and ingredients in our skincare and cleaning products.
In response to the video, dermatologists in the US issued a warning against using homemade sunscreen, advising that it can lead to sunburn, premature aging and skin cancer. That advice is even more crucial for New Zealanders where peak UV levels can be up to 40 percent higher than at similar latitudes in North America.
Dr Juber Hafiji told Breakfast that sunscreens need to be scientifically tested, dermatologically approved, and applied correctly to reduce the risk of sunburn and sun cancer.
Watch the full interview below.
