Avery Lurie

      In America’s unspoken Guide to Being Attractive, tanning is lately on the top of the list. We soak up the sun, salute the spray tan and “turn up” to the tanning bed. However, we might also be sacrificing our skin.

       According to the FDA, extended time in the sun can lead to severe eye damage and variations of skin cancer, from basal and squamous cell carcinoma to melanoma.     

     “All three [cancers] can be dangerous. Squamous cell will metastasize more readily than basal cell and can kill you more often than both basal cell and melanoma,” US Science Teacher Lisa Peck said. “People who have melanoma and don’t check their skin regularly usually have a seizure and go to the hospital. They’re diagnosed with a brain tumor, but they find the melanoma, and they realize that it has metastasized to the brain. At that point, there’s no chance of survival.”

     Additionally, the Advanced Dermatology and Skin Care Center notes that tanning beds can also pose health risks. This includes immune system suppression, photoaging and more. 

     Spray tans aren’t off the hook either. The National Library of Medicine states dehydroxyacetone (DHA)—the main chemical in fake tanners—creates the browning effect is potentially genotoxic, meaning it can damage cells’ internal genetic material.

     While the sun may be burning us to a crisp, it does have some lit benefits. A moderate exposure to UVB enhances our bodies’ ability to absorb calcium, thanks to the rays triggering a chemical reaction in our skin that produces Vitamin D3.

      “I feel like [tanning] is natural makeup. It’s better if I’m wearing no makeup than if I’m pale. I feel like it makes me look skinnier,” senior Veronica Sarkis said.

      ABC News says the TikTok hashtag #sunburnttanlines has accumulated over 200 million views, reflecting our attachment to bronzed skin and creating the perfect environment for a national tanning obsession.

       “[Tanning] is ingrained in our society, at least in Western culture. It signifies that you’re rich enough to go on vacation and have leisurely time to go outside. People don’t really think ‘hey, past thirty, I’m going to start getting a lot more wrinkles and sun damage that can’t go away,’” junior and sunscreen enthusiast Sofia Lee said.

     In Europe and Asia during the medieval, Victorian and Renaissance eras, being extremely pale was the ideal. Women would even paint their faces white to appear more fair.

      However, that all changed in 1923. Allegedly, Coco Chanel fell asleep on a yacht and got a bad sunburn. Returning from her yacht trip, she appeared more bronze, which set off the tanning craze. Yet, in some cases, the tanning fixation has begun to cross the tan line, leading to a craving that burns our mental health just as much as our skin.

     According to rehab.uk, tanorexia is a tanning addiction that’s linked to body dysmorphia and eating disorders. With tanorexia, one may possess a psychological or physical dependence on UV. In broader terms, a tanning addiction usually begins when an individual is unhappy with their appearance. 

      “I wish we could somehow teach people to be comfortable in their skin and not feel that they have to have a tan. It’s just so unhealthy, and the incidences of skin cancer are rising dramatically in young people,” Peck said. 

     In 2018, the University of Southern California (USC) stated that another cause of tanorexia may be the mood-boosting endorphins that UV rays provide. They also said that 7 percent of 16-17-year-olds in Los Angeles met the criteria for addiction. 

        Regardless of the danger, American society expects us to look tan. We may not be simply dipping our toes into the ocean, but also into a beauty “requirement.”

      “I feel like the beauty standard is being tan. That’s why I feel more compelled to. Sometimes, if I have a lot of homework, I don’t want to go out and lie in the sun for two hours, but I feel like it will make me look better,” senior Veronica Sarkis said.

     Lee added, “I never thought that skin color should be a trend. I just don’t think we should glorify tanning because it’s a little stupid,” she said. “It’s just the color of your skin, and it’s not that big of a deal. If it’s pale, if it’s tan, if it’s whatever. It’s something you can’t really control, so why stress about it?”