HEALTH – « Sun-tattoo », « burn-lines » or “Tan-Lines” : The Minister of Health, Yannick Neuder, alerted this Monday, July 28 on the dangers of trends on social networks encouraging to expose the sun without protection, to reveal traces of tanning.
“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 (As you can see in the video at the top of the article).
“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, it’s very dangerous”warns the Minister responsible for health and access to care, as you can see below.
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.
There is no “healthy tan”
“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 that 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.
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.
The Minister of Health recalls that sun protection must be multiple: wear clothes with tight weaving or anti-UV treated, a wide-sides hat, sunglasses, avoid exposure to the hottest hours.
ANSES (National Agency for Food, Environmental and Labor Safety) has published advice on risky behavior on May 12 (UV cabins, food, self-tankers).