‘Tanmaxxing’trend could come at a dangerous cost, skin cancer experts warn

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Summer fun in the sun is being taken to a new extreme.

“Tanmaxxing” is a social media trend that involves maximizing sun exposure andtanning the skinmore intensely.

Popular among Gen Z, the practice combines time spent in direct sunlight with a variety of tanning products like oils, bronzers and gels.

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Creators on social media are showing off their dramatic tan lines and outdoor set-ups — some even forgoing sun protection or addingtanning bedsessions.

sunburned shoulders

“Tanmaxxing” is trending on social media as a way of maximizing sun exposure.(iStock)

While spending time outdoors can help boost mood, support the body’s production ofvitamin Dand reduce screen time, dermatologists warn that excessive sun exposure — especially as promoted by the tanmaxxing trend — can be dangerous.

New York-based board-certified dermatologist Dr.Michael Tassavor, MD, emphasized that there is “no such thing as a safe, natural tan.”

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“Tanning is damage,�“Tanfluencers sell a deep tan as a ‘wellness upgrade,’ but a tan isn’t a glow-up — it’s your skin’s visible distress signal that DNA damage has already happened.”

“As a skin cancer specialist, I’ve taken care of thousands ofskin cancerson patients who ‘tanmaxxed’ before it had a name.Most regret it.”

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woman tanning in pool

Using a tanning bed before 35 years old can raise melanoma risk by about 75%, an expert warned.(iStock)

The World Health Organization classifies UV radiation and tanning beds as Group 1 carcinogens, which is the same category astobaccoand asbestos.

Using a tanning bed before age 35 can raise melanoma risk by about 75%, Tassavor noted.

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“The damage compounds silently and shows up years later, once the easy window to intervene has closed,” he said.

According to Tassavor, two common beliefs behind tanmaxxing are false: Skipping sunscreen does not produce a “better” tan, and a base tan does not protect the skin from future sunburns.

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woman sunburn

“Most of your vitamin D can come from diet and supplements, and your skin is efficient enough to top up what it needs from ordinary incidental exposure,” a dermatologist said.(iStock)

Sunlight “isn’t the enemy,” the dermatologist noted, but there’s no need to chase it.

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“Most of your vitamin D can come from dietand supplements, and your skin is efficient enough to [get] what it needs from ordinary incidental exposure,” he said.

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“Vitamin D matters for bone density, and sun does give some people a genuinemood lift, but there’s no evidence that anyone has to go out of their way to sunbathe for it, and no evidence that diligent sunscreen use harms bone health.”

To safely expose yourself to the sun, Tassavor recommends using SPF 30 sunscreen and reapplying every two hours.Tanning beds should be avoided “entirely,” he cautioned, because there is “no safe dose” of UV exposure and using them accelerates skin aging.

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