New TikTok trend comes with increased cancer risk, dermatologists warn
If a contoured face is your goal this summer, use makeup--not the sun.
Influencers on social media are teaching people how to apply sunscreen on your face in order to achieve a tan that helps highlight or darken certain features.
Oblivious to the risk, people are thanking influencers for the “great idea” and suggesting that they will try this new trend during the summer. When in reality, no amount of tanning will ever be deemed safe.
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"A lot of the skin cancers that we see are on sun exposed areas, sun exposed areas--face and neck," said Dr. Marisa Grace Ponzo. "And this contouring habit is taking place obviously on the face, since that is the place you want to contour. So we are just adding more risk to an area that is already prone to damage."
Dr. Ponzo also highlights that tanning is a sign that your skin cells are receiving too much sun, which affects the cell's DNA structure. No amount of tanning is considered medically safe and cumulative ultraviolet (UV) exposure increases your risk of developing skin cancer, especially on high-exposure area such as your face.
Here are some expert-recommended sun safety tips to consider:
Apply 0.5 teaspoon of sunscreen to face and neck, or two fingers' length.
Utilize 30 mm of sunscreen, roughly one shot glass or one ounce, for the body.
Practice sun safety by avoiding peak exposure hours, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Incorporate protective clothing and hats alongside sunscreen for effective sun-safe behavior.
Check out the video above for the full interview with Dr. Ponzo on how to stay safe in the sun this summer.