“Burning the skin voluntarily for a Tiktok or Instagram video: this is what I have seen for a few weeks on social networks with the Sun-Tattoos, the Burns-Lines and the Tanines,” explains Yannick Neuder in a video published on several social networks. “Your skin is your life, you only have one, don’t sacrifice it for 30 seconds of buzz,” he said.
These trends – especially promoted in English -speaking videos – consist of not applying sun protection to obtain very delimited tanning marks or invite you to draw a pattern with sunscreen to keep track, similar to an ephemeral tattoo.
“Exposing the sun without cream, nor any protection, sometimes even with oils or monoi, get an ephemeral tattoo on the skin by sunburn: you have to stop it, it’s very dangerous,” warns the Minister responsible for health and access to care.
Exposure to UV rays, the main factor of skin cancer
Exposure to UV rays is indeed the main factor in skin cancer. Each year, in France, from 141,200 to 243,500 skin cancers are diagnosed, including 112,960 to 194,800 caused by excessive UV exposure, according to Public Health France. “We know that sunburn in children very significantly increase the risk of cancer in adulthood, the risk of melanoma,” insists 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.