Expert Warns Against Social Media's Tanning Trend: 'There's No Such Thing as Healthy Tanning'

While social media videos promoting tanning have made sunbathing and using tanning beds popular again among young people, experts warn that this trend carries serious health risks.Dermatologist Prof. Dr. Başak Yalçın stated that tanning is a defense mechanism the skin develops against ultraviolet rays.

When our skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun, the melanocytes in our skin produce a substance called melanin, which gives our skin its color. People with darker skin have more melanin, while those with lighter skin have less. This is why people with lighter skin have a weaker natural defense system against the sun's rays. When we sunbathe or use tanning beds, our skin produces more melanin to protect itself from the harmful effects of the ultraviolet rays, causing our skin to darken. This is what we call tanning. Tanning is actually a defense mechanism our skin uses to protect itself from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. Therefore, there is no such thing as healthy tanning.

Prof. Dr. Yalçın noted that skin cancers are the most common type of cancer.

Skin cancers are the most common type of cancer. They can be divided into two main categories: melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. Non-melanoma skin cancers are more common, but they are also less aggressive and can be completely cured with timely and proper treatment. However, melanoma is a more aggressive type of cancer that can seriously threaten one's life.

Yalçın emphasized that ultraviolet exposure plays a significant role in the development of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers.

Ultraviolet exposure plays a significant role in the development of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. In melanoma, ultraviolet rays damage the genetic structure of melanocytes, making it easier for them to become cancer cells and also disrupting the skin's ability to repair itself. People with lighter skin, especially those with a history of sunburn, are at a higher risk of developing melanoma. Therefore, we should avoid ultraviolet exposure as much as possible. Ultraviolet exposure is not just from the sun; using tanning beds is also a form of ultraviolet exposure that can significantly increase the risk of skin cancer.

Yalçın also criticized claims that tanning beds are safer than sun exposure, stating

Tanning beds are different from natural sunlight. The ultraviolet rays emitted by tanning beds are mostly UVA, which can cause the skin to darken. While this may provide a desired cosmetic result in the short term, tanning beds can increase the risk of deep skin cancers and premature aging in the long term. Just as there is a proven link between smoking and lung cancer, there is a similar link between tanning beds and skin cancer. Unfortunately, some social media influencers claim that tanning beds are less harmful than sun exposure, but scientifically, we can say that using tanning beds or sunbathing can increase the risk of skin cancer and premature aging, including wrinkles, skin sagging, and changes in skin color and texture.

Yalçın pointed out that the time of day is also important in sun protection, generally considering 10:00-16:00 as a risky period for sun exposure. Therefore, Yalçın recommended that individuals follow the UV index in their region and avoid going outside or take serious protective measures when the index is 3 or higher.