By Ron White
The 20-something girls on my social media feed have no problem glamorizing skin damage for the sake of being tan. Most of them are lathered up in Carroten, laying on a pool float in UV 10, and tracking the status of their tan lines every hour. The deeper the difference, the bigger the flex. “See, my problem when I go tanning is that it doesn’t feel like a successful tan if I don’t smell my own skin burning and if I don’t come home with a burn,” one TikToker says. Another captioned her video: “Propaganda I’m not falling for: sunscreen.” Even more alarming is the wildly false narrative that sunscreen is somehow “toxic.” (A word to the wise: it’s very safe and FDA-approved).
The concerning thing about tan-maxxing—the latest viral trend encouraging Gen Zers to maximize their tan through whatever means necessary—is that nobody involved appears particularly confused about the risks. They’ll lie in tanning beds despite the well-established link to melanoma. They’ll spend hours baking in direct sunlight despite dermatologists’ warnings. They’ll slather on tanning oils that, according to board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD, can increase UV exposure and skin damage. It’s all worth it in the pursuit of being tan—and no, self-tanning doesn’t count. “I use [self-tanner] in the winter, but it just doesn’t hit the same in the summer,” Bella, a 22-year-old pre-med student, tells me. “I just love feeling the sun on my skin, and not having to deal with the mess.”
The wild thing is that this generation isn’t uneducated about the risks. In fact, we’ve never talked more about skin cancer—the most common cancer in the United States—and sun protection. “Actively tanning during peak UV hours exposes the skin to the highest levels of ultraviolet radiation, which increases the risk of DNA damage within skin cells. This damage contributes to signs of aging, such as wrinkles and dark spots, and increases the risk of skin cancer,” says Dr. Garshick.
Ironically, the same girls marinating in tanning oil and sweat are the ones who grew up with derm-fluencers, embraced preventative skincare, and started using retinol before they could legally drink. According to a survey by the CDA, 79 percent of Gen Z respondents say they’re concerned about skin cancer, and 63 percent recognize that tanning increases the risk, yet four in 10 still report intentionally tanning.
For Gen Z, leaving themselves intentionally vulnerable to the sun’s harmful rays feels almost like an act of quiet rebellion, especially since the past decade has transformed beauty into a long-term investment strategy, all in the pursuit of preserving the youthful look of skin for as long as possible. Young women have been told to collagen-bank in their early 20s, think about longevity, and track their health stats every single day. The goal: prevent wrinkles, prevent damage, protect your future face.
It seems that some of them are just tired of it. They want to look hot right now. “Obviously, I know I’m not supposed to burn. But I feel better when I’m tan, and I need a base by Memorial Day Weekend. If I burn, I burn,” says Bella. Her honesty about her desire to be tan, despite the risks, is almost refreshing.
Tan-maxxing girls aren’t really bothered with the fact that they know UV rays are bad for them. They’ve seen the dermatologist TikToks. They’ve heard the warnings. They’re just making a different calculation. For them, looking good (meaning, tanned) this weekend feels more tangible than avoiding consequences years from now.
That’s the contradiction at the center of the trend. Tan-maxxing is a rebellion of modern-day beauty standards and a return to the oldest one in the book: that looking tan is hotter than being pale. “Social media has played a major role in making it popular to get a tan, with influencers and viral trends portraying tanning as a shortcut to looking healthier, more attractive, and having glowy skin,” says Dr. Garshick. “Unfortunately, there is often a disconnect between the immediate cosmetic appeal of a tan and the long-term consequences, such as premature aging and skin cancer.”
For Gen Z, leaving themselves intentionally vulnerable to the sun’s harmful rays feels almost like an act of quiet rebellion.
It all boils down to the fact that people like being tan. According to a study published in Summer Consumer Styles, 40 percent of Americans feel “more attractive” with a tan. For all of Gen Z’s fixation on skincare, longevity, and preventative wellness, tan-maxxing reveals a much older instinct. Looking hot now has always been easier to prioritize than protecting yourself later.
The girls chasing the perfect tan know exactly what they’re doing. That’s what makes the trend notable in the first place. Not because they’ve rejected beauty culture, but because they’re proving just how powerful—and dangerous—beauty standards can be.
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Meet the Expert
Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD is a leading board-certified dermatologist serving patients throughout Manhattan, New York and Englewood, NJ at MDCS Dermatology: Medical Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, as well as an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Cornell – New York Presbyterian Medical Center. Dr. Garshick provides a wide variety of cosmetic and medical procedures and services including treatments for acne, eczema, hyperhidrosis, moles, psoriasis, rosacea, signs of aging, skin cancer, skin tags, vitiligo, and wrinkles.
She completed her undergraduate education at Emory University and attended medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine, where she graduated with Research Honors and Alpha Omega Alpha. As a medical student, Dr. Garshick was awarded the prestigious Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship at Harvard Medical School, during which she performed dermatology clinical trials and research at Massachusetts General Hospital. She was also awarded the American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow-Rubin Academic Achievement Award for graduating in the top of her class and the William Dameshek Award for Research Excellence. Dr. Garshick’s post-graduate training in dermatology began with an internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She completed her dermatology residency at Cornell’s New York Presbyterian Hospital, where she served as Chief Resident in Dermatology. Dr. Garshick has numerous publications in scientific journals and book chapters, including a chapter on the treatment of acne, and has presented at national meetings. She specializes in general medical dermatology, including adults and pediatrics, and cosmetic dermatology, including neurotoxins, fillers, chemical peels, and lasers. Dr. Garshick is also involved in teaching the dermatology residents at Cornell, leading discussions reviewing the latest dermatology literature. She is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery and the Women’s Dermatologic Society, as well as an Assistant Clinical Professor.
