By Sophia Doan
Laying out in the sun for hours, buying lotions and products to appear bronzer, spending countless money on spray tans, tanning has become a popularized trend. Last summer, my friends and I would lay out in the sun for hours, hoping that someone would later comment on our perfect, bronzed skin. “People calling me tan is the best compliment,” one of my friends commented. When discussing the effects of seasonal depression, many people cry that they “just want to be tan.” As summer draws closer, the weather app becomes one of many girls’ favorites. But is the overexposure to UV rays going to result in detrimental effects on today’s teenagers? The glow often produced from tanning, often a societal connotation with good health, is actually quite the opposite. Many people skip the protective sunscreen in order to achieve the maximum tan. People will attempt to sunburn so they have a sunkissed look, hoping the redness fades to a perfect bronze. Not often given a second thought, sunburns are actually “a form of short term skin cancer.” (fda.gov) Many studies have shown correlation between sunburn and melanoma, classified as the deadliest form of skin cancer.
So when did tanning become popularized? According to the National Library of Medicine, tanning has become a relatively new phenomenon in the 20th-21st century. Prior to the “trend of tanning” women attempted to maintain their light complexion. The National Library of Medicine reports that around 1928, promotion of sun seeking as opposed to sun protection started to take the media by storm. This past summer, tanning started to trend more than ever on TikTok, a popular social media platform. Influencers overpromoted drastic tan lines, Hollie Evelyn even saying that she would rather “die hot than live ugly” while speaking about her tan lines and cancer risk (nypost.com). Social media’s promotion of tanning and facing the consequences later in life has influenced many young teenage girls to attempt to burn their skin to fit the trend.
Even for people who apply a light spray of sunscreen, hoping to avoid health risks later in life, tans can still be detrimental. According to the FDA, there is “no such thing as a safe tan.” Tanning greatly increases the risk for skin cancer. Once skin is exposed to UV radiation, melanin production greatly increases. Tanning, an increase in melanin, is actually a sign of damage.
Skin cancer can be hereditary; however, overexposure to UV rays causes a higher risk. The combination of skin cancer running in your family and sun exposure can result in very high risks to the disease.
Although skin cancer is usually the most discussed effect of sun exposure, overtanning can also result in photokeratitis or cataracts–both forms of eye damage. Photokeratitis is the sunburn of the cornea, and can be caused not only on the beach, but also often in the snow. Tearing of the cornea, swelling and disrupted vision are all common symptoms of photokeratitis. Cataracts are most commonly caused by UV exposure, and causes decreased vision and often potential blindness. Cataracts need to be surgically removed.
Not only does tanning often result in harmful diseases such as skin cancer and eye damage, but it also speeds up the aging process. Wrinkles and permanent face damage often develop and increase with overexposure to UV rays. Although this is usually used to scare teenagers from overexposure, many say that they would rather be “pretty” now than later in life and that the wrinkles and aging affects are problems for their later selves.
Because of the multiple health risks associated with laying outside in the sun, many people turn to indoor tanning. Tanning beds and spray tans have increased in popularity. The spray tanning market size is expected to increase to being worth $1,879.9 million by the year 2030, with the largest market growth potential in North America (precisionbuisnessinsights.com). Believing that they are saving their skin, many people turn to indoor tanning methods. However, “there are more skin cancer cases due to indoor tanning than there are lung cancer cases due to smoking” (skincancer.org). Tanning beds increase the risk for skin cancer. 97% of women diagnosed with skin cancer used tanning beds before they turned 30. Dermatologists say that there is “no such thing as safe or healthy tanning” (advancedderm.net).
As the UV rays begin to increase, and summer draws near, many teenagers are drawn to the brightest rays of sunlight. Influencers start to promote an unhealthy amount of exposure, making tanning the priority for many teenage girls. However, before you go out and burn your skin, consider the detrimental health impacts and consider applying sunscreen.
In order to get a more real-life perspective on the impacts and causes of overexposure to UV rays, I talked to teenage girls affected by the trend. Below, I asked Malia Wightman, Daisy Gant and Lily Bankosh their opinions and practices of tanning.
How often do you tan?
Malia Wightman: In the summer 4-5 times a week
Lily Bankosh: During the summer every day.
Daisy Gant: Almost everyday, or whenever I have free time and the UV is high.
Do you apply sunscreen when you tan?
Malia Wightman: No.
Lily Bankosh: On my face.
Daisy Gant: All the time on my face and only sometimes on my body.
How often do you apply sunscreen?
Malia Wightman: I don’t at all.
Lily Bankosh: Whenever I tan on my face.
Daisy Gant: I apply everyday for my face and usually only if I have a sunburn on my body.
Are you worried about skin cancer later in life?
Malia Wightman: A little bit but my goal is to put on sunscreen when I reach 25.
Lily Bankosh: Yes.
Daisy Gant: Kind of but everything can give people cancer now, so I don’t really care.
Do you feel well educated on the harmful impacts of tanning?
Malia Wightman: Yes.
Lily Bankosh: Yes.
Daisy Gant: Yes, I know what I am getting myself into.
Do you tan because it is a trend or for some other reason?
Malia Wightman: When I am in the sun I feel peaceful, I tan because I look better not because it is a trend.
Lily Bankosh: Yeah, because it’s a beauty standard, everyone wants to be tan.
Daisy Gant: I tan because I like to be tan and because the sun feels good most of the time, but also for tan lines.
Will you tan this spring/summer?
Malia Wightman: Of course.
Lily Bankosh: Yes.
Daisy Gant: Of course.
Have you ever used indoor tanning products?
Malia Wightman: No.
Lily Bankosh: No.
Daisy Gant: No, that is too much effort and I am not that desperate to be tan.