A tanning bed is seen on March, 20, 2012, in North Vancouver, Canada. (Jonathan Hayward\/The Canadian Press via AP)<\/small><\/p>\n
2026-07-30T18:00:58Z<\/p>\n
Nichole Sims started using a tanning bed at 15 because she said everyone around her was doing it, especially before events like homecoming dances and prom. <\/p>\n
Eight years later, she was diagnosed with melanoma \u2014 a potentially life-threatening skin cancer<\/a><\/span>. <\/p>\n During that time, Sims has seen tanning become even more popular among young people online. She tries to counter the misinformation on social media that touts tanning<\/a><\/span> as a mood booster and beauty requirement by sharing her own experience.<\/p>\n \u201cI just feel like our generation doesn\u2019t really look into a lot of risks. They just kind of live in the moment,\u201d Sims said.<\/p>\n Experts are concerned about a resurgence in the popularity of tanning among young adults as social media has helped tanning in general make a comeback. A video of a girl sharing her \u201ctanning secrets\u201d and showing off a bikini tan line has racked up more than 11 million views, while people in the comments joke, \u201cThe earth probably won\u2019t last long anyway, I\u2019d rather go out tan than pale.\u201d<\/p>\n More than 100,000 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2026, and about 8,500 people are expected to die from melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society. Even more worrisome, some influencers are encouraging the use of tanning beds.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing young in the world we live in now, being tan and pretty, it goes together,\u201d Sims said.<\/p>\n This article is part of AP\u2019s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well.<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Pedram Gerami and his team at Northwestern University\u2019s medical school sought to find out what was happening at a cellular level with tanning bed users. They had nearly three times the risk of developing melanoma as those who did not use tanning beds. <\/p>\n Gerami took skin samples from tanning bed users and compared them with samples from nonusers. His team examined the DNA sequences of melanocytes, skin cells that can turn into moles, melanoma or other cancers.<\/p>\n When melanocytes are exposed to UV light, they can mutate. Tanning beds can emit more than 10 times as much UV light as the sun.<\/p>\n The DNA mutation rate of melanocytes in tanning bed users was more than double that of nonusers whose only exposure to UV is outdoor sun, Gerami said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou only need like two or three (mutations) in the right place for it to turn into a melanoma,\u201d Gerami said. \u201cIf you get one or two of them from the tanning bed use \u2026 it kind of just primes all these cells to be ready and that much closer to getting to melanoma.\u201d<\/p>\n Gen Z adults are less informed about sun protection and more likely to believe misconceptions about tanning, according to a 2025 survey by the American Academy of Dermatology.<\/p>\n More than one-fifth of young adults said they prioritized getting a tan over protecting their skin<\/a><\/span> and more than half believed common myths like having a \u201cbase tan\u201d would protect against sunburn, the survey results said.<\/p>\nHow tanning beds increase cancer risk<\/h2>\n
Misconceptions about tanning are more likely among youth<\/h2>\n