Doctors warn against ‘potentially deadly’ new trend promising ‘best tan ever’
FROM metal foil, to baby oil and tanning beds: there’s a number of damaging ways people have sought out a golden tan.
With awareness spreading about the perils of skin cancer and the myth of a ‘healthy base tan’, you’d think that would be the last we’d hear on the matter.
But doctors have issued a fresh warning over a dangerous trend that promises ‘the best tan ever’.
And you’ll never guess what people are using for it: beer.
Yep, suntan seekers are dousing themselves in the golden liquid while on holiday, in a bid to bronze their skin.
But if you’re thinking of pouring a Corona over you rather than sipping it, health experts have urged you to put the bottle down and heed a few warnings.
Aside from making you stink like a brewery, this so-called trend also puts you at risk of heatstroke, sun poisoning and deadly skin cancer.
Videos of people dousing themselves in beer have left health professionals appalled.
Dermatologist Dr Shilpi Khetarpal from the Cleveland Clinic told a local TV station she was shocked when she first saw the slew of clips depicting the trend on TikTok.
She says the beer isn’t doing anything useful anything useful for your skin.
In fact, the lack of protective layers or sunscreen allows harmful UV rays to burn or damage it.
Meanwhile, Kathryn Clifford, co-founder of skin cancer awareness charity Skcin, recently told The Sun: “I can barely believe this insanity exists,” adding that the sun damage incurred by the ‘hack’ is strongly linked to the development of melanoma – the most serious life-threatening form of skin cancer.
Cases of deadly melonoma and skin have been on the rise in the UK.
Kathryn noted that have been ‘disproportionately high’ in young people aged 15 to 34 – the same age group exposed to videos of ‘beer tanning’ on apps like TikTok.
Meanwhile, Jason Goldberg, director at SpaSeekers, warned that slathering beer on your body could leave you vulnerable to sun poisoning.
Sun poisoning is a serious condition commonly caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation that inflames your skin.
It’s not exactly a medical diagnosis, rather, it’s a lay term for really bad sunburn.
Unlike a mild sunburn, sun poisoning usually requires medical treatment to prevent complications such as skin damage, heatstroke and cancer.
And according to Stefano Pietrini, ‘beer tanning’ could lead to heatstroke – feelings of dizziness, nausea and a high temperature that require medical attention – as well as premature ageing.
He urged people to switch their beer can out for an SPF bottle: “Without SPF, it only takes 10 minutes in the sun to start burning.
“Over time, this poses the risk of skin cancer, with 70 per cent of cases caused by sun damage.”
The reason why people think beer might give them a good tan is because the hops in it supposedly increases the production of melanin in the skin.
But Stefano said that any substance that accelerates tanning can result in permanent skin damage, which certainly outweighs a temporary golden glow.
To top it all off, the smell of the beer on your skin could attract some not so nice creepy crawlies, leaving you with nasty bug bites all over, according to ITV news.
Hardly the bronzed glow you might have been going for.
According to dermatologist Dr Hiba Injibar from Harley Street’s Dermasurge Clinic, there’s no safe way to tan at all.
Your skin turning a darker colour just means it’s getting damaged.
“In reality, a tan is a sign of skin damage from too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation,” Dr Injibar told The Sun.
“The best way to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays is to avoid tanning altogether,” she stressed.
“If you must be in the sun, wear protective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 30+,” Dr Injibar continued.
When it comes to your sun cream, it’s not a one and done situation – the derm said it was important to reapply it regularly when you’re catching those beams, typically every two hours.
You should especially keep this in mind if you’re swimming or exercising – these activities can slough off sunscreen even if it’s water resistant.
The NHS advises that you spend time in the shade when the sun is strongest – between 11am and 3pm in the UK – and cover up with suitable clothing.
Using sun cream with an SPF of at least 30 is also vital to protect against UVB, and your product of choice should also have a UVA star rating of four or above.