Dermatologist reveals a key spot people usually miss when applying sunscreen

While occasional sun exposure helps our bodies produce Vitamin D, too much sun can harm our skin due to ultraviolet rays. So, wearing sunscreen isn't just a luxury—it's essential. However, it's crucial to apply it correctly. In a TikTok video, Korean dermatologist Michael Park (@michael.park.md) points out that many people neglect to protect a vital area, leading to harmful consequences.

“One of the places most people forget to apply sunscreen is ears,” Dr. Park said in the video. He explained that although the most common type of skin cancer, “basal cell carcinoma,” will likely not kill someone, the skin surrounding their body part will be sawed off in this case. “Now I don’t know anyone who wants to get a large piece of skin getting cut out of them,” he cautioned, and advised, “Make sure you put sunscreen on your ears.”

He elaborated on the topic by stating that he had worked for a melanoma specialty clinic for a year and had seen multiple people with melanoma getting big chunks of their ears cut off due to the cancer. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops when cells called melanocytes start to grow out of control, per the American Cancer Society.

What happens is, when sunlight falls on the skin, the skin’s natural defense mechanism is activated. This defense mechanism is a pigment called “melanin.” Melanin is produced by cells in the skin called melanocytes. Melanin absorbs UV light and protects the skin from sunburn. In appropriate quantities, melanin can allow a person to get a good suntan, but when it gets out of control, the suntan can easily turn into a sunburn, explains Live Science. And when it does, it can take the form of this deadly skin cancer called Melanoma.

Melanoma is dangerous because it’s quite likely to spread to other parts of the body if not found and treated early. Warning against it, Dr. Park advised people to always remember their ears while applying sunscreen, “Unless you want to have a Vincent Van Gogh look,” he quipped. To provide the context to his quip, the great Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh cut one of his ears. According to the University of California’s Berkeley Library, on the night of December 23, 1888, Van Gogh found himself grappling with a severe mental breakdown and ended up cutting off a part of his ear. His self-portraits are depicted with the sides of his head covered in bandages, which is why Dr. Park said that unless one wants to don an earless look like Van Gogh, one must apply sunscreen.

On Instagram where he reposted the video, it garnered 1 million views and nearly 41,000 likes. Many people guessed the mystery part was eyelids. Ears were something unexpected. Many agree that forgetting to salve ears with sunscreen can be deadly. “I started to apply sunscreen to my ears ever since a friend was diagnosed with melanoma. Unfortunately, she passed away from cancer and I think of her every time I apply sunscreen,” commented @duchess.han.

@brendageary8, among many other people, said, “Thank you for this reminder.” Instagrammers also suggested other body areas where sunscreen should never be missed. @apachetwin01 added “bottom of the feet” when lying in the Sun. Others suggested lips and backs of hands.

Michael Kassardjian, a dermatologist in Los Angeles, affirmed what Dr. Park advised, and explained to Healthline, “I’ve definitely seen a few locations in the development of skin cancer that can be due to being missed by sunscreen application daily, but also areas that tend to have sunscreen rub off easily and not be as effective where people forget to reapply.” He added that some of the areas people usually forget to apply sunscreen include the sides and back of the neck, upper chest, lips, top of hands, top of ears, tops of feet, and midriff.

Talking about ears, he said that the tops of ears are especially vulnerable to sunburn. “This is an area that we unfortunately see many skin cancers develop and is an area that is forgotten when applying sunscreen,” elaborated Dr. Kassardjian. “Not only the ears themselves but behind the ears as well, especially behind that left ear for those people that are commuting long distances daily as they will have constant exposure to those UV rays.” He also suggested wearing a wide-brimmed hat while venturing out in the Sun, in addition to applying sunscreen on the ears.

American Academy of Dermatology Association suggests that one should wear sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 or higher, is water resistant, and provides broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB rays) coverage. For areas difficult to reach, one can use sunscreen spray. @sun_bug_ came up with the idea of using a makeup brush to apply sunscreen to the ears.

In addition to Dr. Park's tip of applying sunscreen, a person can also consume nutrients that will strengthen their skin’s defense mechanism. Adding foods rich in antioxidants can increase the production of melanin in the skin. Plus, foods with Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, herbs, nuts, and berries are also good sources of melanin.

You can follow Dr. Michael Park on TikTok and Instagram for more skincare tips!