Podcast Summary: The TRUTH About Makeup, Sunscreen and Skin Cancer

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show
Guest: Dr. Teo Soleymani
Date: September 23, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features Dr. Teo Soleymani, a fellowship-trained dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon, in an in-depth exploration of skin health, covering hot-button topics such as makeup toxicity, sunscreen safety, skin cancer risks, hormonal impacts on skin, dietary factors, and the most effective interventions for skin aging and cancer prevention. The conversation cuts through pervasive beauty myths while offering actionable guidance on skincare, supplementation, and procedural options.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Is Makeup Toxic for Skin? (00:00–08:52)

• Short Answer: No, not inherently toxic, but context matters.
• Product Overload: Multi-step routines are driven more by marketing than science. “The more steps you have, the more products you're probably gonna want to buy... there is a marketing advertising bias.” (Dr. Soleymani, [00:11])
• Minimalism is Best: “Less is more so long as you have really effective products.” (Dr. Soleymani, [04:15])
• Hidden Factors: Many influencers on social media may be on medications or supplements impacting their skin (e.g., birth control, Accutane).
• Makeup Risks: Issues arise primarily from not removing makeup, leading to clogged pores and feeding demodex mites—a major (and often overlooked) cause of rosacea.
  • “Don't sleep with your makeup on for that reason. You don't want to clog your pores.” (Dr. Soleymani, [07:49])

2. The Environmental Working Group & Cosmetic Ingredients (08:52–12:00)

• EWG’s List: Dr. Soleymani finds EWG well-intentioned but oversimplifies complex issues and may have data/lobbying biases.
• Concentration Matters: Most concerning ingredients (e.g., formaldehyde releasers) are present at levels unlikely to harm but cumulative effects over time are still uncertain.
• Preservatives Tradeoffs: Needed for shelf life, but long-term effects remain unknown.

3. Makeup, Aging, and Sun Protection (12:00–14:18)

• No, Makeup Won't Reverse Aging: “Formaldehyde preserves the skin after we’ve passed. It won’t preserve us while living.” (Dr. Soleymani, [12:16])
• Makeup with SPF: Minimal anti-aging benefit; amount applied rarely matches what’s shown on SPF labels.
  • “You're really getting like a 5 to 8 [SPF], so you can’t rely on that alone.” (Dr. Soleymani, [13:47])

4. Problematic Skin Ingredients and Hormonal Influences (14:18–21:31)

• Hidden Dangers: Black salve (dangerous self-treatment for skin cancer), misused topical retinoids, overused steroids, and vitamin C serums can all cause harm if used incorrectly.
• Testosterone: Makes skin oilier, can cause thickening, and visible scarring. “I would rather be lean and jacked and have a six-pack than have a dad bod and glassy skin.” (Dr. Soleymani, [18:01])
• Estrogen: Protects skin and hair. Topical estrogen is less effective than oral for skin issues like dryness and dullness in postmenopausal women.

5. Social Trends & Skin Health Myths (29:29–33:21)

• Rise of ‘Homemade Doctors’: Social media has complicated medicine, promoting polarized opinions.
• Sun as Enemy: The field of dermatology overly vilifies the sun; Dr. Soleymani advocates moderation and personal "dose" awareness over strict avoidance or blame.

6. Sun, Lights, and Skin Cancer (33:21–39:43)

• Does the Sun Cause Cancer? Yes—with an asterisk. Genetics + cumulative sun exposure matter most.
• Sunscreen Realities: Real-world use often falls short—physical barrier protection (shade, clothing) outperforms sunscreen alone ([63:12]).
• Non-sun UV Exposure: Fluorescent and some halogen lighting can change skin DNA and pigment. “Visible light, particularly fluorescent light and some halogen light can change the pigment and change the DNA of your skin.” (Dr. Soleymani, [35:59])
• Skin Cancer Risks: Genetic and family histories are highly predictive. Certain ethnicities and features (like light eyes) have specific susceptibilities.

7. Defining Safe Sun Exposure (41:12–44:00)

• Sun "Dose": Everyone’s tolerance varies; minimal erythema dose (when skin turns red) should be your personal limit. “15–20 min of sun exposure for most people at low UV index, every single day is reasonable.” (Dr. Soleymani, [42:10])
• Children & Accumulated Risk: Most skin cancers arise after decades, reinforcing the idea of cumulative risk.

8. Diet, Collagen, and Supplements (45:31–53:38)

• Diet is Medicine: “Protein correlates to the amount of collagen substrate... diet is massive.” (Dr. Soleymani, [46:02])
• Dairy Myth: Full-fat dairy doesn’t cause acne—skim/non-fat with added sugar substitutes do.
• Collagen Supplementation: Modestly improves skin, especially for those with dietary protein limitations. “With that spike [from supplementation] draws water... gives that appearance of a little bit more hydrated skin.” ([49:00])
• Vitamin C: Essential for collagen synthesis.

9. Wrinkles, Aging, and Anti-aging Procedures (54:06–57:17)

• Creepiness: Sun damage, genetics, and decreased elastin/collagen cause thin, crepey skin, especially on hands and arms.
• Prevention: Sun protection and lasers. “Anybody who cares about their skin should do some sort of laser procedure... improves the appearance and now we know it also cuts your cancer risk.” (Dr. Soleymani, [56:16])
  • Fraxel and CO2 Lasers: Fractionated lasers are top picks for both prevention and treatment.

10. Skincare Routine: Foundational Products (62:50–73:02)

• Essentials:
  1. Sun Protection: Mineral sunscreen preferred to chemical for broader coverage and fewer endocrine/absorptive concerns ([63:35]).
     • “Sun protection from shade, shelter, covering, outperformed any sunscreen on the market.” ([63:12])
  2. Prescription Retinoid: Only topical proven to stimulate collagen/grow new skin ([68:08])
  3. Vitamin C Serum: For environmental antioxidant protection and improved tone—once basic routine is tolerated ([70:26]).
  4. Moisturizer: Choose by need and skin type.
  5. Optional Additions: Acids such as kojic, glycolic, lactic—for pigmentation, but add slowly.
• “Cake Analogy”: Build foundation (sunscreen/retinoid), then frosting (vitamin C), then sprinkles (acids/other actives).

11. Product Debates: Beef Tallow, Red Light Therapy (74:01–81:24)

• Beef Tallow: Not universally bad—can be effective for dry, mature skin if no breakouts.
• Red Light Therapy: Safe, modest benefits post-procedure for healing, hair density, and perhaps anti-aging, but consumer devices must be powerful to be effective. “If anything is battery powered, forget about it.” ([77:52])

12. In-Office Treatments & Supplements for Skin Health (83:02–94:03)

• Microneedling, PRP, Exosomes: PRP helpful for scarring and healing; exosome creams are mostly hype—stick with evidence-based procedures ([85:30]).
• Procedural Trifecta: 1. Fraxel/fractionated laser, 2. V-beam for pigmentation/blood vessels, 3. Microneedling.
• Supplements for Sun Protection & Skin Cancer Prevention:
  1. Polypodium leucotomos: Amazonian fern, doubles safe sun time ([90:20]).
  2. Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3 as niacinamide): Reduces non-melanoma skin cancer risk by up to 30% (proven in NEJM, phase 3 studies, [92:29]).
  3. Astaxanthin: Potent antioxidant, found in shrimp, salmon, marine algae; protects against photoaging ([92:56]).
• ‘Sunpowder’ Supplement: Dr. Soleymani’s multi-ingredient supplement for internal sun and anti-aging support.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Social Media & Skincare:
  “Every day I'm like, what is going on here?” (Dr. Soleymani, [01:01])

• On Estrogen Therapy for Skin:
  “I personally haven’t found topical estrogen to be any better than the vehicle... If you want the benefits, oral is the way to go.” (Dr. Soleymani, [23:06])

• On Sunscreen & SPF Reality:
  “You need... a shot glass worth. Most are either putting on very little foundation or definitely not a shot glass worth of foundation. So you’re not getting the [label's] SPF.” (Dr. Soleymani, [13:47])

• On Sun Exposure:
  “You don’t have to fear the sun. If you’re sun smart, you can enjoy the outdoors... safely.” (Dr. Soleymani, [38:33])
  “The way I describe this analogy is put a grape in the sun, it eventually turns into a raisin.” ([39:43])

• On Procedures:
  “Anybody who cares about their skin should do some sort of laser procedure... it also cuts your cancer risk.” ([56:16])

• On Internal Sun Protection:
  “Polypodium leucotomos... lets you be out in the sun longer before you burn. It’s not a replacement to sunscreen.” ([90:20])
  “Nicotinamide... has been shown to reduce our skin cancer risk, our non-melanoma skin cancer risk by up to 30%.” ([92:29])

• On Fundamentals:
  “Mineral sunscreen and a retinoid are the two single best things you can do for your skin.” ([67:22])
  “Diet is medicine. Food is medicine and should be treated as such.” ([46:02])

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Time | Topic | |---------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–08:52 | Makeup’s safety, multi-step routines, and demodex mites | | 08:52–14:18 | EWG, ingredient concerns, makeup’s role in aging | | 14:18–21:31 | Problem skin ingredients, hormonal impacts (testosterone, estrogen)| | 29:29–33:21 | Surprising trends, sun myth-busting | | 33:21–39:43 | Sun, lighting, and genetic risks; skin cancer causation | | 41:12–44:00 | Safe sun exposure, personalized doses | | 45:31–53:38 | Diet, protein, collagen, vitamin C in skin health | | 54:06–57:17 | Creepiness, prevention, lasers | | 62:50–73:02 | Dr. Soleymani’s anti-aging daily skincare routine | | 74:01–81:24 | Product debates, beef tallow, red light therapy | | 83:02–94:03 | In-office treatments, supplements, and 'Sunpowder' | | 94:03–101:20 | Wrap-up, supplement details, audience Q&A |

Takeaways for Listeners

• Essential Routine: Daily mineral sunscreen, prescription retinoids, adequate protein intake, moisturizer as suited, and (optionally) vitamin C.
• Sun Sense: Understand your personal sun tolerance; moderate sun exposure is not inherently bad.
• Supplements Matter: Internal supports like nicotinamide, polypodium leucotomos, and astaxanthin can profoundly benefit skin health, especially for high-risk individuals.
• Procedures: Fractionated lasers, vascular treatments, and microneedling offer the best blend of aesthetic and preventive value.
• Science over Trends: Avoid skincare fads unbacked by evidence; many popular products and routines add complexity without benefit.

This episode serves as both a myth-buster and a practical guide for listeners invested in genuine skin health—backed by science, transparency, and individualized care.