Last month, the American Academy of Dermatology Association released a survey that showed that, while many Gen Z adults love skincare – 28% said getting a tan was more important to them than preventing skin cancer.
There are many tanning options on the market, including newer chemical options like melanotan-II, a nasal spray that causes people to tan darker and faster, but is unregulated by the FDA.
This concerns dermatologist Dr. Jordan Parker at University of Missouri Health Care. She said reports show using these nasal sprays causes higher risk for things like melanomas.
"I think that it's insanely dangerous if you don't know what is in a medication that you're taking."Dr. Jordan Parker
“This is not FDA approved, and so you are essentially inhaling whatever the manufacturer is wanting to put into these things,” Dr. Parker said.
The survey also showed that 52% of Gen Z adult respondents were unaware of some sunburn risks
She believes that misinformation about things like benzenes in sunscreens and the alleged safety of a “base tan” are contributing to this statistic.
In good news, Dr. Parker said there are simple ways to protect yourself this summer.
“Wear your sunscreen, avoid direct sunlight and wear sun protective clothing,” Dr. Parker said. “Please don't buy anything that is unregulated on the internet. Ignore TikTok ads. Don't buy anything on the TikTok shop and just make good choices.”
If you are still wanting the appearance of a tan, Parker said to turn to safe, sunless options – like tanning mousses or lotions.
KBIA’s Rebecca Smith recently sat down with dermatologist Dr. Jordan Parker to learn more about the risks of sun exposure and about these newer, concerning tanning products.
"Based upon those stats, it certainly seems like Gen Z is kind of putting a little bit more importance on looking and feeling good, rather than the future consequences of their actions."Dr. Jordan Parker
Rebecca Smith: To start off today – what are some of the risks of sun exposure, sunburns, things like that?
Dr. Jordan Parker: UV exposure, in general, increases your risk of skin cancer, but a big one that I think a lot of people are missing is premature aging.
UV exposure is going to make us look older, faster, and I see that in daily practice regularly – particularly in folks who don't protect themselves from the sun.
Rebecca Smith: There’s tons of products on the market for sunburn prevention and tanning – could you give us a rundown of some of those? The most common ones?
Dr. Jordan Parker: Usually, I'm dealing with questions of, “Okay, is sunless tanner, okay? Or is tanning oil okay?” And my typical answer is “tanning oils are not good, they are not protecting you from the sun, they're actually increasing your risk of sun damage.”
It's essentially like putting cooking oil on yourself and then being surprised when you sizzle.
Sunless tanning, however, does have decent data that it is relatively safe. Things like the mousses and stuff, we don't have any negative consequences other than the occasional like allergy or contact reaction to those.
And then the newer trends that are coming about are the tanning pills and the nasal sprays, and, of course, the biggest scare with these things is that they are not regulated and they are systemic – meaning internal medications.
"UV exposure, in general, increases your risk of skin cancer, but a big one that I think a lot of people are missing is premature aging."Dr. Jordan Parker
The nasal sprays are typically containing something called Melanotan-II. So, in general, what it's doing is stimulating your pigment producing cells, melanocytes, to make more melanin or pigment.
And again, this is not FDA approved, and so you are essentially inhaling whatever the manufacturer is wanting to put into these things.
So, I think that it's insanely dangerous if you don't know what is in a medication that you're taking.
Rebecca Smith: So, what are some of the risks with these newer products?
Dr. Jordan Parker: We do know that the folks that have been using these nasal sprays have some pretty crazy risks – renal infarction, so meaning any of your renal vessels developing a blockage that will cause kidneys to shut down.
And then the weird weird ones, things like the priapism, or sustained erections. You can get GI upset. It can make you actually more sensitive to the sun, which goes along with the increased risk of melanoma and also makes your acne worse.
Rebecca Smith: Last thing – and it’s a little silly, but if someone does want that summer glow, what are the best and safest options for them? From the perspective of a dermatologist?
Dr. Jordan Parker: Yeah, my personal favorite are the sunless tanners that are either lotion or mousse-based. It takes a little bit of practice.
We have no studies about the topicals causing any problems other than local irritant, like contact, allergic side effects. As of right now, by far, those are the safest options on the market.
