It’s sun season in Colorado, which is good news for the state’s multitudes of outdoor-recreation enthusiasts. Unfortunately, Colorado’s high altitude coupled with abundant sunshine make the state a leader in skin cancer rates.
With this in mind, we spoke with Jed Lampe, PhD, and Rebecca McCullough, PhD, at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, about sunscreen and PFAS chemicals – also known as forever chemicals.
With summer approaching, Lampe and McCullough answer questions on what sunscreens are safe, PFAS chemicals and how preventing skin cancer by being sun-smart should remain a top priority.
The following interview has been edited and condensed.