A worrying trend is doing the rounds on social media platforms such as TikTok: in the so-called "sunburn challenge" or the "wild tan" trend, young users in particular are deliberately exposing themselves to the blazing sun without protection. The aim is to create particularly eye-catching sunburns and tan lines and proudly present them under hashtags such as #sunburnttanlines. This hype, which has already generated hundreds of millions of views worldwide, poses a massive danger from a medical point of view.
Dermatologists warn of massive health risks
Leading dermatologists are sounding the alarm. "There is no such thing as a 'wild tan', there is only a tan, which is always the result of damage to cell DNA," explains Professor Antonio Costanzo, Head of Dermatology at the Humanitas Hospital in Milan, to the daily newspaper Corriere della Sera. He warns that this practice drastically increases the risk of developing melanoma at a young age. Sunburn is not a harmless reddening, but a sign of severe skin damage, which not only increases the risk of skin cancer, but also accelerates skin ageing. "In addition to the risk of melanoma, this practice makes the skin of 30-year-olds look like that of 60-year-olds in a few years' time," says Costanzo.
How to protect your skin properly
Experts strongly recommend avoiding the sun at midday and always using a high sun protection factor. Regular reapplication is crucial. Professor Costanzo points out an important fact: The protection factor stated on the packaging is only achieved with an application rate of 2 mg per square centimeter of skin. As most people only use about half of this, the actual protection decreases exponentially. A sun protection factor of 50 quickly becomes a protection of only 7. At the first signs of burning or severe itching, sun exposure must be stopped immediately. If the skin also peels off, an emergency room should be consulted immediately. After a mild sunburn, moisturizing creams can help; "tips" from social media are strongly discouraged.
