Gen Z Tanning Risks
Gen Z Prioritizes Tanning Over Skin Cancer Prevention, Dismissing Health Risks
Gen Z has heard the skin cancer warnings — and largely shrugged them off. A new survey by the American Academy of Dermatology found that only 25% of adults ages 18 to 29 are concerned about developing skin cancer in their lifetime. That compares to 39% of the general population. One in five Gen Z respondents said getting a tan matters more to them than preventing skin cancer.
The findings land at a fraught moment. Social media is flooded with anti-sunscreen misinformation. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently killed a federal rule that would have kept minors out of tanning beds. And dermatologists warn that the DNA damage being done now will show up as cancer decades later.
RFK Jr. Pulls Federal Tanning Bed Protections for Minors
On March 16, 2026, the FDA — under HHS Secretary Kennedy's direction — officially withdrew a decade-old proposal to ban minors from using indoor tanning beds. The rule had been in the works since 2015. It would also have required adults to sign risk-acknowledgment forms before using the devices. Kennedy framed the rollback as a win for
The move leaves 27 states with no age-based protections for minors in tanning salons, according to Salon. Only 23 states and Washington D.C. have full bans. Critics, including the Environmental Working Group, say the FDA is
Social Media's 'Solar Callus' Myth Is Spreading Fast
Sixty-four percent of Gen Z report seeing sunscreen misinformation on TikTok and Instagram, according to the Genetic Literacy Project. A key myth making the rounds is the
Influencers like Kristin Cavallari and accounts such as @GubbaHomestead have pushed the idea that sunscreen ingredients are more toxic than UV rays themselves, according to the Los Angeles Times. Dermatologists flatly reject this. Dr. Murad Alam, president of the American Academy of Dermatology, says
The Real Numbers Behind a Tan
The data on tanning risks is stark. Using a tanning bed before age 35 raises melanoma risk by 75%, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. In 2024, 50% of Gen Z adults reported getting sunburned. Ten percent said their burns were bad enough to cause blisters, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Dr. Shain, an associate professor at UCSF, compares tanning beds to tobacco. The
A Skin Cancer Wave Could Be Coming for Gen Z
Skin cancer already costs the U.S. $8.9 billion per year to treat, according to the CDC. The treatment market is projected to nearly double — from $11.1 billion in 2024 to $22.9 billion by 2034 — driven by rising diagnoses. Epidemiologists warn that Gen Z's current habits are building up what one researcher called a
Sixteen million Americans have already cut back or stopped using sunscreen because of online misinformation, according to the Genetic Literacy Project. Dr. Susan C. Taylor, a board-certified dermatologist, notes that 96% of Americans say they believe sun protection is important. The problem is that believing it and actually doing it are two very different things — especially for Gen Z.
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