A personal journey into the dangers of tanning began for Nichole Sims at just 15, a common practice among her peers before school events. Eight years later, she received a life-altering diagnosis: melanoma, a potentially fatal skin cancer.

Now, Sims actively combats the pervasive misinformation online, where tanning is often promoted as a mood enhancer and beauty standard, by sharing her own stark reality.

"I just feel like our generation doesn’t really look into a lot of risks. They just kind of live in the moment," Sims observed, reflecting on the cavalier attitude towards health. Experts are increasingly alarmed by a renewed surge in tanning's popularity among young adults, significantly amplified by social media platforms.

Viral videos showcasing "tanning secrets" and bikini tan lines garner millions of views, with comments flippantly dismissing health risks, such as one stating, "The earth probably won't last long anyway, I'd rather go out tan than pale."

This concerning trend comes as the American Cancer Society projects over 100,000 new melanoma diagnoses in the U.S. by 2026, with approximately 8,500 fatalities expected. Adding to the worry, some online influencers are actively endorsing the use of tanning beds. Sims encapsulates the societal pressure driving this behavior: "Being young in the world we live in now, being tan and pretty, it goes together."

How tanning beds increase cancer risk

Individuals who use tanning beds face nearly three times the risk of developing melanoma compared to non-users, according to new research. Dr. Pedram Gerami and his team at Northwestern University’s medical school investigated this cellular phenomenon by comparing skin samples from tanning bed users with those from nonusers.

Their study focused on melanocytes, skin cells that can mutate into moles, melanoma, or other cancers when exposed to UV light. Tanning beds are particularly dangerous, capable of emitting over ten times as much UV radiation as the sun.

The research revealed that the DNA mutation rate of melanocytes in tanning bed users was more than double that of nonusers, whose only UV exposure was from outdoor sun. Dr. Gerami underscored the severity, stating, "You only need like two or three (mutations) in the right place for it to turn into a melanoma. If you get one or two of them from the tanning bed use … it kind of just primes all these cells to be ready and that much closer to getting to melanoma."

Misconceptions about tanning are more likely among youth

Gen Z adults are less informed about sun protection and more likely to believe misconceptions about tanning, according to a 2025 survey by the American Academy of Dermatology.

More than one-fifth of young adults said they prioritized getting a tan over protecting their skin and more than half believed common myths like having a “base tan” would protect against sunburn, the survey results said.

Some videos on TikTok ridicule warnings by experts that unprotected UV exposure can lead to increased risk for skin cancer, including falsely saying that sunscreen can cause cancer, too. Others urge people to tan outside when the UV index is the highest, when experts advise the public to avoid sun exposure.

“Tanning is sort of cool again … and all the education about skin cancer and skin aging is sort of taking a backseat for the younger generation,” said Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Rossi said he recalls using tanning beds when he was younger and understands the appeal, but years after he stopped using them, he developed a non-melanoma skin cancer, he said.

“There’s really no such thing as a safe tan,” he said.

The FDA halted tanning bed regulation

The World Health Organization has long classified tanning beds as a cancer-causing agent in the same category as tobacco and asbestos.

Using tanning beds before age 20 can increase your chances of developing melanoma by 47%, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

California became the first state to ban tanning beds for minors in 2012. More than a dozen states have followed suit since, and many others require in-person parental consent.

But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration withdrew a proposed rule in March that would have barred anyone under 18 years old from using tanning beds in the U.S. The rule was first introduced in 2015.

The FDA said it withdrew the rule in light of “concerns regarding possible unintended consequences" in its memo, drawing concern from experts that the action could send mixed messages to the public.

Talking to your teen about the dangers of tanning

Teenagers can be a tough group to persuade because they have less capacity at that age to consider long-term health consequences, but there are ways to get the message across, said Sherry Pagoto, a psychologist and professor at University of Connecticut who has studied indoor tanning behavior and tanning bed culture for decades.

“What resonates more with them is physical appearance, because that’s why they’re doing it,” Pagoto said.

Rather than talking about skin cancer, parents can emphasize how excess sun exposure can cause skin to look leathery or wrinkly, she said. They can take their teen to a dermatologist to take a UV photo that shows the skin damage that isn't yet visible to the naked eye.

Pagoto also said it's important for parents to model safe behavior, as many teen girls acquire their tanning habits from their mothers. Making sunscreen easily accessible around the house and buying self-tanner for your teen can be a gentle way to nudge them away from unsafe tanning.

“Change can sometimes take time. So if you’re feeling frustrated ... sometimes you just kind of have to wait for their process to unfold,” Pagoto said.