Overview:
What people are taught about sunscreen as children often shapes their skincare habits for life. In this Presence News feature, professionals across education, healthcare, business, wellness, and skincare reflect on how sun protection was explained to them growing up—and how science and experience have changed that understanding. Their insights reveal why early education around sunscreen was often incomplete, how daily sun exposure quietly adds up over time, and why consistent protection is now seen as a foundational habit for long-term skin health.
What experts say they learned growing up—and what we know now
For many people, sunscreen was once treated as a seasonal afterthought—something pulled out for beach days, summer vacations, or long afternoons outdoors. But as science, education, and lived experience have evolved, so has our understanding of sun protection. What used to be framed as “don’t get burned” is now widely understood as a daily health habit with long-term consequences.
Presence News asked professionals across education, healthcare, wellness, business, and skincare a simple but revealing question: What were you taught about sunscreen and sun protection growing up—and how does that compare to what you know now? Their responses point to a shared realization: the lessons weren’t wrong, but they were incomplete.
Early Education Missed the “Why”
Carmen Jordan Fernandez, Academic Director at The Spanish Council of Singapore, recalls that sunscreen was framed as situational rather than essential.
“I used to think sunscreen was just for beach days. Nobody explained why or that different skin types need different care. Now I get it. Kids need to build this habit early, with a real reason why,” she said. “When I showed my students how a UV light works, they actually understood. We need to make sunscreen as normal as brushing teeth. It’s that simple.”
Her experience highlights a recurring theme: when children understand the reason behind a habit, they’re far more likely to keep it.
Health Class Wasn’t Enough
For Aja Chavez, Executive Director of Mission Prep Healthcare, sun protection barely registered in school.
“I remember sun protection getting about five minutes in health class, and I didn’t pay much attention. That lesson missed the point,” Chavez said. “Now when I talk with teens, I tell them to forget the beach-only rule. Make it part of getting ready in the morning, just like brushing your teeth. Your future self will thank you for it.”
The issue wasn’t misinformation—it was minimization. Without reinforcement or real-world context, the message didn’t stick.
Small Exposure Adds Up
Dan Tabaran, CEO of Dynares, admits he underestimated everyday sun exposure.
“Nobody mentioned using it every day, even just for running errands. Now I get that all that small sun exposure adds up,” Tabaran said. “Sun protection should be like brushing your teeth, just something you do. It’s a small habit that saves you a bigger headache later.”
That cumulative effect—often invisible day to day—is one of the biggest gaps in early sunscreen education.
Stories Work Better Than Rules
For Paul Jameson, the habit didn’t form until adulthood.
Paul Jameson Founder & Executive Chairman, Aura Funerals
“My parents just said to use sunscreen on sunny days, not why. So I didn’t really get into the habit until I started climbing,” Jameson explained. “Now I see it’s not just about avoiding a burn, but about keeping my skin good later on. If you want kids to listen, tell them a story. It works better than just giving orders.”
His perspective underscores how personal experience often replaces what early instruction failed to explain.
What Skincare Science Reveals
Neisha Arora, a skincare educator and face yoga coach, describes sunscreen as one of the most misunderstood tools in long-term skin health. founder and Editor-in-Chief of Hale and Belle®
“When I was growing up, sunscreen was treated like a vacation product. The message was simple: don’t get burned,” Arora said. “Those lessons weren’t wrong—but they were incomplete.”
She notes that UVA rays penetrate skin daily, even through clouds and windows, quietly breaking down collagen and accelerating aging. Another damaging myth: that deeper skin tones don’t need sunscreen.
“Everyone’s skin keeps score,” she said. “Daily sunscreen preserves the skin’s structure and allows everything else you do for your skin to actually work.”
Prevention Beats Correction—Every Time
That lesson extends beyond human skincare. Nabilah Shamseddine, Founder and CEO of Barkology Wellness, says cultural attitudes once framed tanning as healthy.
“Growing up in a Lebanese household, sun protection wasn’t really a cultural priority,” Shamseddine said. “The attitude was more ‘tan means healthy.’ Looking back, that was completely backwards.”
Working in fitness and now pet wellness, she’s seen stark contrasts between those who prioritize prevention and those who don’t—whether it’s people or pets.
“The lesson I wish I’d learned earlier: prevention is always cheaper and easier than correction, whether it’s your skin, your health, or your dog’s wellness.”
The Common Thread: Make It Automatic
Across professions and life experiences, the message converges on one point: sunscreen works best when it’s boring, consistent, and automatic. Not fear-based. Not seasonal. Just daily.
If these experts had been taught early that most visible aging and long-term skin damage is preventable—and cumulative—the habit might have formed as naturally as brushing teeth. That’s the shift many now advocate teaching to the next generation.
Presence News thanks Featured.com for connecting our newsroom with the professionals who contributed their expertise to this article. Are you in the Los Angeles Area? Contact Presence News if you would like to set up a video film interview.
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