Dermatologists have warned about the risk of cancer due to the return of the fashion for tanning

The popularization of tanning on social media contributes to the return of dangerous practices, including visiting tanning salons and intentionally staying in the sun with a high UV index. Dermatologists have warned that such exposure damages the DNA of skin cells and increases the likelihood of developing cancer. This was reported on July 30 in the journal Medical Xpress.

Of particular concern to experts is the proliferation of videos in which tanning is presented as a prerequisite for attractiveness, a way to improve mood, or a safe wellness procedure. At the same time, false statements about the dangers of sunscreens and the benefits of so-called basic tanning are being published on social networks.

In a study published in December 2025 in the journal Science Advances, scientists compared the medical data of about 3,000 visitors to tanning salons and the same number of people who did not use them. Melanoma was detected in 5.1% of the participants of the first group and 2.1% of the second. After taking into account age, gender, history of sunburn, and hereditary factors, using a tanning bed was associated with a 2.85-fold increased chance of detecting melanoma.

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The researchers also sequenced 182 individual melanocyte cells. In visitors to tanning salons, the number of mutations turned out to be almost twice as high, and damaged cells were found in areas of the body that are usually protected from sunlight. In addition, potentially pathogenic mutations associated with the development of melanoma were more common in their skin.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies devices that emit ultraviolet light for tanning as carcinogenic factors of the first group for humans. This category means that there is convincing evidence of carcinogenicity, but it does not indicate that the degree of risk is the same as tobacco or asbestos. According to the forecast of the American Cancer Society, in 2026, about 112 thousand new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the United States, and the disease will cause about 8.5 thousand deaths.

Dermatologist Anthony Rossi emphasized that there is no such thing as a safe tan. An alternative for those who want to change their skin tone may be self-tanning products that do not involve exposure to ultraviolet light.

In June, Maria Polner, a cosmetologist and dermatovenerologist, explained that tanning oils are not protective agents. They only give the skin radiance and visually emphasize the tan, while creams with SPF protect it from ultraviolet radiation, reducing the risk of sunburn and cell damage.