Skin Not Canvas: Deadly Sun Tattoo Craze

Health authorities in France have raised alarms about a dangerous new social media trend that promotes the creation of temporary “tattoos” through deliberate sunburn.

The French Minister for Health and Access to Healthcare, Yannick Neuder, issued an alert about several social media trends promoting unprotected sun exposure to produce sharply defined tan lines — known as “sun tattoos,” “burn lines,” or “tan lines.”

The social media trends discussed by Neuder were mostly promoted through English-language videos. They involve skipping sunscreen to achieve very defined tan lines or encouraging people to draw a pattern with sunscreen to create a lasting impression, similar to a temporary tattoo.

The growing popularity of these “sun tattoos” prompted Neuder to issue a direct warning on X about the risks. In a video titled Sun-tattoo, burn-lines, tan-lines. Don’t sacrifice your skin for 30 seconds of buzz! He condemned the practice, saying: “Exposing yourself without sunscreen or protection, sometimes using oils or monoi that accelerate damage to create sunburn tattoos, is extremely dangerous.”

Neuder stressed that 85% of skin cancers are linked to childhood sun exposure, particularly in younger audiences. 

According to Public Health France, 240,000-250,000 skin cancers are diagnosed each year in France, including an estimated 112,960-194,800 cases caused by excessive ultraviolet exposure. The practice also accelerates skin aging and causes DNA damage that can lead to melanoma and carcinoma.

The minister reiterated essential preventive measures, including seeking shade, applying high-SPF sunscreens, wearing protective hats, and limiting sun exposure.

“Your skin is your life. You only have one. Don’t sacrifice it for a 30-second buzz,” he concludes his video.

Speaking on BFMTV with Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs Clara Chappaz, Neuder said, “We will contact the European authorities and the platforms to ban these dangerous messages,” said Neuder, adding: “It’s not easy, but it is possible.”

This story was translated from Medscape’s French edition.