The dangers of tanning obsession: what you should and shouldn't do to speed up your tan

A severe sunburn during childhood doubles the risk of melanoma in adulthood, and five blistering sunburns during that time can increase the risk of this type of skin cancer by 80%, according to some studies. And it's not just a disease that many see as distant. Excessive and unprotected sunbathing is the biggest factor in aging . Those who want a tan to feel beautiful are simultaneously buying tickets for wrinkles, spots, and sagging skin.

Applying baby or olive oil, cola, or moisturizer mixed with mercromine ... these are some of the baseless crazy ideas that have been practiced for years to tan faster. "Using oils to accelerate tanning by exposing ourselves to the sun increases skin damage and burns. Each burn is a tremendous damage to the skin that we must avoid. Tanning shouldn't be a goal ," warns Dr. Marta Andreu, head of the Dermatology Department at Vithas Madrid La Milagrosa University Hospital.

The expert also denies that drinking cola enhances a tan. The truth is that it doesn't protect against the sun and that "the sugar in soda combined with the rest of its ingredients (phosphoric acid, caffeine, colorants, etc.) can irritate the skin, clog pores, and promote infections." And regarding mixing moisturizer with mercury, not only won't achieve anything beyond the red tone the product gives, but the doctor warns that mercury causes contact allergies. "It's an antiseptic that we don't use in medicine because it caused many allergy problems. Also, if used on a large surface, it can cause mercury toxicity," she states.

The latest way to achieve that coveted tan is with nasal tanning sprays , which the UK's Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) warned about this spring. In May, it issued a stern warning to consumers about "dangerous and unregulated" nasal tanning sprays marketed on social media. These products can cause nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, and even changes in the shape and size of moles. Their long-term health effects are still unknown, but studies suggest a possible link to melanoma.

Nasal tanning sprays have been on the market for a few years, but the CTSI is warning of a new emerging trend: sprays in flavors such as peach, bubblegum, grape, strawberry, and lime, advertised by sellers on social media. These same sellers sell tanning drops and gummies designed to be ingested. Some of these products contain dangerous ingredients, including melanotan 2 , a synthetic hormone that can accelerate tanning but is not approved by health authorities. Furthermore, inhaling sprays can irritate the airways, with possible symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and nasal congestion. Repeated exposure, the CTSI warns, could lead to chronic respiratory problems.

"These nasal tanning sprays are banned because they contain an illegal drug, melanotan 2, a synthetic analogue of melanocortin, which stimulates melanin production. Their use is prohibited. Some people use it illegally because it stimulates melanocytes and gives you a tan, but it could have harmful side effects ," warns Dr. Paloma Borregón, a dermatologist with the Spanish Group of Aesthetic and Therapeutic Dermatology of the AEDV (GEDET) and director of the Kalosia Clinic.

UVA tanning beds are also not an alternative. "These rays are carcinogenic, cause skin aging, and damage the skin," says Dr. Marta Andreu.

Not even the famous " sun callus " touted by some influencers is a healthier alternative to applying sunscreen. Those spreading this dangerous information suggest sunbathing without applying any type of sunscreen, gradually until, supposedly, the skin forms a kind of callus, which generates resistance to the sun. The theory of these influencers is that, if they repeatedly expose themselves to ultraviolet radiation, they will develop tolerance and have more resistant skin. "Sun callus exists, but we'll see if we're interested in having it," quips Dr. Paloma Borregón. "With sun exposure, melanin is stimulated, and you burn less at the end of summer than at the beginning, but that doesn't mean the sun doesn't harm you. Even if you don't burn because you're tanning, you're still being damaged, your cells continue to mutate, and the risk of cancer and aging will be higher," she asserts.

The same goes for creams with a low sun protection factor. An SPF of 2 is like wearing nothing at all. "We always recommend an SPF of 50 because we never apply enough. If we start from that base, at least make sure it has the highest possible protection," recommends Dr. Andreu.

Dr. Borregón says that in her practice, she sees more and more people incorporating sunscreen into their daily routine. "Now, luminous, clearer skin is valued. The sun not only causes skin cancer but is also the main cause of photoaging, which results in wrinkles, dark spots, and sagging," she points out. However, she warns that people protect their faces a lot, but not so much their bodies. "We now know that melanin stimulation increases for the entire body, not just the exposed area. This means that, even if you cover your face, if you tan your body, you will develop more spots on your face ," notes the GEDET dermatologist.

Furthermore, the accumulation of sun damage increases the risk of skin cancer, and melanoma is the most dangerous. "The most common precancerous lesion in the world is called actinic keratosis , and it's a precursor to skin cancer. And the most common tumor is basal cell carcinoma . Melanoma is less common and more aggressive. It metastasizes quickly," explains Dr. Borregón. Therefore, in addition to sun protection, dermatologists recommend annual mole checks.

The risk of sunburn is highest in the first years of life. "A year of sun exposure counts more in childhood than in adulthood. Those years are what determine skin cancer later in life," warns Paloma Borregón. It's not about hiding from the sun, but rather about taking it wisely: avoid the central hours of the day (between 12 and 5 p.m.), apply a sufficient amount of sunscreen of SPF 50 or higher (for the face, two fingers of sunscreen) when in the sun and reapply it every two hours. And wear a cap or hat.

"If we want to get vitamin D , we should not expose our unprotected extremities for more than 15 minutes in the morning or afternoon," he adds.

If we want to achieve a darker skin tone, but still do so safely, both dermatologists consider self-tanning creams to be the best option. They produce a tanning effect on the superficial layers of the skin without any harmful effects.