Turkey warns of fake sunscreen products causing severe skin damage

Prof. Dr. Hatice Uce Özkol, head of the Dermatology Department at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, warned that counterfeit and unregulated sunscreen creams sold online or through informal dealers are leading to serious skin problems in Turkey. She cited cases where patients developed extensive skin lesions and, in some instances, required intensive‑care treatment and powerful drugs such as isotretinoin and acitretin.

Özkol emphasized that effective protection is achieved with SPF 30 or higher and that chasing extremely high SPF values (e.g., 90‑100) provides no extra benefit. She urged consumers to purchase sunscreen only from pharmacies and to follow dermatologists’ recommendations, noting that cheaper, unverified products can cause far greater health costs.

She also highlighted a surge in demand for cosmetic products driven by social‑media trends, which has increased the circulation of unsafe items. "Some of our patients had to be treated in intensive care," she said, and added, "SPF 30 and above provides sufficient protection; there is no need to chase SPF 90 or 100."