Gen Z youths are bringing back tanning, much to the chagrin of older generations who learned too late of the damages inflicted by sunbeds, UV rays and tanning oils.
Despite the wealth of information available about the health risks of tanning, like premature aging and skin cancer, the skincare-obsessed generation is, ironically, flocking to tanning beds. This comes amid a revival of Y2K trends — just look at cigarettes — reminiscent of the early aughts era of “Gym, Tan, Laundry” and heart-shaped “tan tattoos.”
According to recent data from the American Academy of Dermatology, 20% of Gen Zers believe that being tan is more important to them than protecting themselves from skin cancer, and 30% admitted that they would rather look “great” today with a tan “even if it means looking worse later in life.”
TikToker Hollie Evelyn once said she would “rather die hot than live ugly,” a sentiment that is echoed by thousands on the platform who hawk tanning tips and tricks under the tag #sunbed, while the tag #tanning has amassed over 4 billion views.
26-year-old Holly Reardon, whose tan makes her feel thinner and prettier, has been inundated with tanning content on her social media feeds, telling the Washington Post that she “wouldn’t care” so much about looking sun-kissed if she “didn’t have social media.”
Sabrina, a 24-year-old New Yorker whose name was changed for anonymity, went in a tanning bed for the first time when she was just 16. She told Nylon that her mom insisted she needed a “base” tan to avoid a sunburn on their tropical vacation — a theory that has been debunked by experts. However, her habit continued in college where the gym offered free tanning beds with a membership.
For her, being bronzed — which has long been regarded as a status symbol, linked to the privilege of poolside lounging, tropical vacations and abundant wealth — is tied to beauty.
“If I’m feeling ugly, I will focus more on tanning because I just get more compliments when I’m tan,” she told Nylon. “Obviously, I’m worried about the health risks, but I smoke cigarettes and I never wear sunscreen.”
Tanning — by either bed or beach — accelerates signs of aging like wrinkles, spots and lack of elasticity and also increases the risk of skin cancer. Indoor tanning increases the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by 58% and basal cell carcinoma by 24%, and can cause melanoma, a rarer but deadlier type of skin cancer.
“There is no such thing as a healthy tan if your tan is from a tanning bed or exposure to the sun,” Dr. Jennifer Holman, a dermatologist located in Texas, told Yahoo News.
Unlike the heyday of bronzed complexions 20 years ago, there are more products than ever that provide the same sun-kissed glow without skin damage — no UV rays, no problem.
“Year after year, we continue to see so much innovation in self-tanning and bronzing products,” Penny Coy, an Ulta Beauty executive who works in merchandizing, told the Washington Post.
While spray tans are one complexion-conscious option, mists, drops, powders, creams, mousses, oils and sprays — not to mention the mitts, brushes and applicators required to achieve a seamless, streakless glow — line the shelves at Sephora, Ulta and Target for tan addicts to get their fix.
And yet, even with the cutting-edge products on the market, Gen Z still touts sunbeds despite their dangers, and even associates tanning with the aesthetic of health.
“I feel like I look healthier, so that makes me happier,” Sara Shammout, a 23-year-old student and founder of the tan accelerating cream brand Bronzed by Carrot, told the Washington Post.
Some people also believe that tanning booths offer more benefits than a bronze glow. When Kim Kardashian, for one, boasted about her in-office sunbed in a widely criticized video posted to social media, her fans speculated that it may be used to treat her psoriasis.
Experts, however, have debunked the belief that tanning beds can quell the symptoms of skin conditions, as it is not the same as medicinal light therapy used by clinicians due to the notable lack of UVB rays emissions, which are necessary for the body to make vitamin D and are more effective at treating certain conditions than the UVA rays in sunbeds.
Beauty writer Jessica DeFino argues that social standards are forcing people to contort themselves for the sake of beauty and place aesthetics over wellbeing by any means necessary — just look at the abuse of weight loss jabs. If they truly cared about leading a healthy lifestyle like their appearance would suggest, they wouldn’t dare enter a tanning booth.
“Projecting the right image is more important to people than living the type of the life that that image suggests,” DeFino said.
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