“Sun-tattoo, burn-lines, tanks … Do not sacrifice your skin for 30 seconds of buzz! It’s very dangerous, I explain everything to you! »» The Minister of Health Yannick Neuder takes up, in a video published this July 28, 2025, the codes of social networks to fight against a trend spreading there (especially in Anglo-Saxon content): calls to expose to the sun without protection to obtain very delimited tanning marks or to draw a pattern with sunscreen to keep a trace, sort of ephemeral tattoo.
“Burning the skin voluntarily for a Tiktok or Instagram video: this is what I have seen for a few weeks on social networks”, he explains. And warn: “Your skin is your life, you only have one. »»
“Exposing the sun without cream, nor any protection, sometimes even with oils or monoi, make an ephemeral tattoo on the skin by having a sunburn: you have to stop it!” “, insists the Minister responsible for health.
113,000 to 195,000 skin cancer linked to UV diagnosed each year
Each year, in France, from 141,200 to 243,500 skin cancers are diagnosed, including 112,960 to 194,800 caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays (UV), according to Public Health France.
“We know that sunburns in children very significantly increase the risk of cancer in adulthood, the risk of melanoma”, Insiste Yannick Neuder.
In its prevention campaign before summer, the National Cancer Institute (Inca) said there is no “healthy tan”. “” The latter constitutes an aggression for the skin, a sign of a reaction which engages against the damage caused by UV, natural or artificial. Tanned skin therefore indicates that DNA has suffered damage ”, underlines the institute. The UVAs (those who penetrate deep into the skin and are responsible for its aging) such as UVB (more powerful, and which affect the epidermis) increase the risk of skin carcinomas (basalcular or epidermoid) and melanomas.
In the event of sun exposure, the use of sunscreen is essential and to renew every two hours, but even the most effective solar products – index 50 – do not filter all UVs. Also the Minister of Health recalls that sun protection must be multiple: wearing clothes with tight weaving or anti-UV treated, a wide-edged hat, sunglasses, and support in the warmest hours.