In life, there are lots of pleasurable things that we know aren’t that good for us: simple carbs deep-fried in vegetable oil, drinking one or two wines over the recommended limit at dinner with friends, and sitting in the Australian sun.
But despite the risk of cancer and early death the latter poses, parts of the internet are now encouraging extensive time in the sun.
It’s not exactly back to the ‘70s when it was all about dousing skin in baby oil and frying in the sun on Bondi. Instead, TikTok has gone ham for tan lines – the contrast of colours across the chest after getting burnt in a bikini.
The hashtag #sunburnttanlines has more than 200m views on TikTok, while #suntan has almost 1m on Instagram, with users sharing videos of themselves tanning in high UV or showing off their lines after being outside.
In one video, a voiceover asks the tanning woman if she can talk to her about melanoma. “I don’t know her, luv,” she answers. In another, a girl promotes an app that gives users a “personalised tanning routine” while she bakes in 13UV.
Australia’s Cancer Council recommends sun protection whenever UV levels reach 3 or higher, with levels between 6 and 7 classified as high and anything above 11 as extreme.
In another video, a user shows off her triangle tan lines with the caption “fav accessory in the summer”.
The fad has alarmed the Cancer Council, who have launched a campaign to “end the trend” – and influencers are also making videosreminding people that getting obliterated by the sun isn’t a great idea.
TikToker and self-described “SPF lover” Belle Bower, who lost her dad to melanoma, said there is a lack of awareness in younger generations.
“There are gaps in knowledge,” she said.
“We’ve got millennials, who grew up with campaigns from their parents, like Slip, Slop Slap, and then there’s my generation, Gen Z, who’ve grown up with a lot of social media, who don’t have access to these campaigns as readily.”
She said while Gen Z is “obsessed with skincare”, the idea that tanning actually damages it hasn’t cut through.
“They’re obsessed with looking great, they are doing this trend because they think it’s aesthetic, and they don’t realise the damage that actually does.”
Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, with one Australian dying every six hours from skin cancer. And Cancer Council research shows nine in 10 people under 30 intentionally or unintentionally suntan.
Bower said warnings about cancer would do little to show young Australians the damage it can cause – like sun spots, wrinkles and premature ageing.
“Every time you’re out in the sun, the more sun that you get, the more issues you’re going to have down the line,” she said.
“Tanning is actually your skin in trauma. Even if it’s two minutes, if it’s 15 minutes, it’s cumulative. The damage that that’s doing is irreversible.”
Bower said sunscreen should be treated as the last defence, with staying in the shade, wearing a hat, and long-sleeved loose clothing all coming first.
In a statement, the Cancer Council said it was time to “embrace the skin” you are in.
“If we all felt more comfortable with our natural skin tone, we’d spend less time suntanning, and that would mean less skin cancer in Australia,” it said.
“Protect your skin by being SunSmart: slip on protective clothing, slop on a broad-spectrum sunscreen (water resistant SPF50+), slap on a broad-brimmed hat, slide on sunglasses and seek shade.”
