What Is 'Tanmaxxing'? The Viral Trend Doctors Say Could Raise Your Skin Cancer Risk

Summer brings longer days and more time outdoors, but one social media trend is encouraging people to spend even more time in the sun in pursuit of darker skin. Known as 'tanmaxxing', the trend has gained popularity among Gen Z users, with creators sharing dramatic tan lines, outdoor tanning routines and the products they use to achieve a deeper tan.

Many of these posts feature tanning oils, bronzers and gels, while some users even skip sunscreen or add tanning bed sessions to their routine. Although spending time outside can improve mood, help the body produce vitamin D and offer a break from screens, medical experts are warning that the trend carries serious health risks.

According to dermatologists, there is no safe way to intentionally tan the skin, and the visible colour change is actually a sign that damage has already taken place beneath the surface.

Medical Experts Warn Against Tanmaxxing

New York-based board-certified dermatologist Dr Michael Tassavor has issued a clear warning about the trend, saying there is 'no such thing as a safe, natural tan.'

'Tanning is damage,' he told Fox News Digital. 'Tanfluencers sell a deep tan as a "wellness upgrade," but a tan isn't a glow-up, it's your skin's visible distress signal that DNA damage has already happened.'

Drawing on his experience as a skin cancer specialist, Tassavor said he has treated thousands of patients with skin cancer who had spent years tanning before the trend had a name.

'As a skin cancer specialist, I've taken care of thousands of skin cancers on patients who "tanmaxxed" before it had a name. Most regret it,' he said.

The doctor also pointed to the World Health Organisation's classification of ultraviolet radiation and tanning beds as Group 1 carcinogens, placing them in the same category as tobacco and asbestos.

He warned that using a tanning bed before the age of 35 can increase the risk of melanoma by around 75%.

'The damage compounds silently and shows up years later, once the easy window to intervene has closed,' Tassavor said.

According to the dermatologist, two beliefs often linked to tanmaxxing are simply incorrect. He said skipping sunscreen does not result in a better tan, while having a base tan does not protect the skin from future sunburn.

Safe Sun Exposure Still Matters

Although Tassavor cautioned against deliberate tanning, he stressed that sunlight itself should not be viewed as something to fear.

'Sunlight isn't the enemy,' he said, adding that people do not need to deliberately spend long periods sunbathing to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.

'Most of your vitamin D can come from diet and supplements, and your skin is efficient enough to [get] what it needs from ordinary incidental exposure,' he explained.

He also addressed claims that avoiding the sun or wearing sunscreen could negatively affect health.

'Vitamin D matters for bone density, and sun does give some people a genuine mood lift, but there's no evidence that anyone has to go out of their way to sunbathe for it, and no evidence that diligent sunscreen use harms bone health,' Tassavor said.

For those spending time outdoors, the dermatologist recommends using SPF 30 sunscreen and reapplying it every two hours. He also advises avoiding tanning beds altogether, saying there is 'no safe dose' of ultraviolet exposure.

Beyond increasing the risk of skin cancer, he noted that tanning beds also speed up the skin's ageing process.

As tanmaxxing continues to circulate across social media, doctors are encouraging people to separate online beauty trends from medical advice. While enjoying time outdoors can still be part of a healthy lifestyle, experts say protecting the skin should remain the priority rather than chasing a darker tan.