Gen Z grew up as the rash guard generation. So why are so many skipping sunscreen in pursuit of the perfect tan?

Gen Z grew up with parents who learned about sun safety the hard way, after spending their own youth coated in baby oil — or SPF 4 at best — and lying out in the backyard or baking in tanning beds. But as the saying goes, "When you know better, do better." And they did: shimmying their children into rash guards at the pool or beach and regularly slathering and spraying them with sunscreen.

Gen Z, it seemed, was on track to become the most sun-safe generation yet. But now that they're in their teens and 20s, some are deliberately "tanmaxxing," side-eying — or outright skipping — sun protection and falling for sunscreen myths online. A 2024 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) survey found that nearly 30% of Gen Z respondents said getting a tan was a higher priority than preventing skin cancer.

So what happened to the "rash guard generation"?

For a clue, look no further than Gen Z's social media feeds. That's where you'll find teens and young adults sharing their tanning tips — and even proudly showing off noticeable tan lines , something previous generations went out of their way to avoid.

Brooklyn (aka Brookie) Marie Win is one of them. Amid her multi-step skin care regimen and GRWM (get ready with me) videos, Win recently broke down her "fool-proof" tanning routine to her 230k followers, showing how to get "amazing, crisp" tan lines like hers. All you need is a triangle bikini — leave the sunscreen at home. "If you want me to be honest, I don't use SPF. I know I should," she says, before listing some sunscreen recommendations for followers who do. She then shares the tanning oil and gel she swears by, along with a cheaper trick: misting yourself with water.

Other TikTokers are co-opting the UV index — which measures the strength of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation on a scale of 0 to 11 (the higher the number, the greater potential for UV damage) — to identify the "ideal" times to tan , instead of using it as intended: to know when to protect your skin from the sun. There are even apps like SunSafe and Sun Tracker: UV Index and Tan to make this easier, under the misguided pretense of a "safe tan."

Still others are questioning whether sunscreen itself is safe, including buying into the debunked claim that it can cause cancer . TikTok user Alicia Hally, for example, posted : "The sun gives you cancer. Sunscreen gives you cancer. We die either way so you may as well be tanned xx." (One response: "I'm trying to figure out if this is rage bait or not.")

Sunscreen misinformation aside, many, like Lauren Nagyvary, know that the real risk is using little to no sun protection — but they're doing it anyway. "I will only tan when I have no SPF on at all," Nagyvary says on her TikTok . "I'm not telling you this is good or bad advice, but if you want to tan easier, maybe just don't wear SPF and just stay out less. But again, I know that probably like increases your risk of skin cancer. I just feel like it's more efficient."

That contradiction is particularly surprising for a generation known for its fixation on wellness, longevity and elaborate anti-aging skin care routines. And it's not as if Gen Z missed the memo on sun damage: They've spent their entire lives hearing about the importance of sun protection from their parents, doctors and more recently, social media.

"Unlike many who experienced tanning culture in the 1970s and 1980s, Gen Z has grown up in an era when the link between UV exposure and skin cancer has been widely shared with the public," Dr. Elizabeth K. Hale , a dermatologist and senior vice president of The Skin Cancer Foundation, tells Yahoo. "But, unfortunately, tanning culture continues to make a resurgence despite best efforts to keep the public educated about their risk for developing skin cancer, as well as the risk of premature skin aging."

There are several reasons, say experts. One is that it's hard to resist a pervasive beauty trend — in this case, being tan. Bronzed skin "is often associated with looking healthy, fit or fresh from vacation," says dermatologist Dr. Annette Czernik . "There is also a natural tendency when we are young to place more value on how something makes us look or feel today than on a health consequence decades away. So even a generation that understands the science can still be pulled toward a trend that offers an immediate cosmetic reward."

But appearances can be deceiving. "A tan is a sign of UV damage, not healthy skin," Dr. Supriya Rastogi , a dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group, tells Yahoo.

Social media can also make even harmful behaviors seem normal when you see them over and over again, explains Sanam Hafeez , a neuropsychologist and director of Comprehend the Mind. "If someone's feed is filled with influencers tanning on vacation, using tanning beds or showing off very bronzed skin, that look can quickly become familiar," she says. "The brain can start interpreting that repetition as evidence that 'everyone is doing it,' even when that is not actually true." Likes, comments and compliments help reinforce the behavior "by attaching a social reward to the appearance," she points out.

As anyone who spends enough time on social media knows, questionable health claims and dubious advice are everywhere — and sun protection is no exception. A 2026 AAD survey found that 64% of Gen Z respondents reported encountering sunscreen misinformation online. "Gen Z has grown up with unprecedented access to information, but that access also means that they are constantly exposed to unverified claims, opinions and misinformation," says Hale. "Social media can make it difficult to distinguish evidence-based health information from content that is simply popular or persuasive."

Hale points to a June 2026 study that found misinformation receives much higher audience engagement . "This really shows us how someone today might see a false sunscreen claim repeatedly from different influencers and begin to assume it must be true, even when the claim is not supported by scientific evidence," she says.

Rastogi agrees. "Social media can make personal experiences and influencer claims feel just as credible as medical advice, especially when misinformation is presented in a convincing or relatable way," she says.

One of the issues with tanning is that it feeds into our "get it now, pay later" culture. In this case, the "payoff" — bronzed skin — is immediate, while the consequences, like premature aging and skin cancer, can take years or even decades to surface. "The problem is that UV damage builds quietly in the skin and may not become noticeable for years," says Czernik.

Hafeez says that can create a false sense of safety. "Someone may tan repeatedly and think, 'Nothing bad happened last time,'" she notes. That thinking is especially true for teens and 20-somethings for whom health consequences years down the road can sound like a "future me" problem.

However, some creators are starting to post about the consequences of skipping sunscreen and using the UV index as a tanning tool.

"The time 2 years ago i thought it was a good idea to spend 3 hours in UV 11 'tanning' with no sunscreen," posted TikTok user Cathryn Akers , revealing the blistering sunburn she developed on her face. Several people in the comments called it a "lifechanging sunburn" — and not in a good way. "I had a life changing sunburn like this in high school. I'm now 23 with melanoma," one person commented.

TikToker Kelly Trebendis shared her bright red sunburn after using tanning oil on the beach while the UV index was 8. She tried to head off criticism by captioning the video: "I know I'm stupid you don't have to tell me I'm so mad at myself." That didn't stop commenters from sounding the alarm and even sharing their own skin cancer experiences, including photos.

So what should Gen Z know before trying to chase a tan? For starters, experts emphasize that sunscreen isn't the danger — UV exposure is.

"There's no good evidence that sunscreen, when used as directed, causes cancer in humans," says Czernik. "Overwhelming evidence shows that sunscreen helps reduce the risk of certain skin cancers by protecting from UV radiation."

And while some chemical sunscreen ingredients may enter the bloodstream, Czernik says research hasn't shown that this is harmful. Still concerned? Mineral-based sunscreen with zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide mostly sits on the skin's surface and is generally considered very safe.

And sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher isn't your only line of defense. Experts also recommend seeking shade during peak sun hours (between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.); wearing a hat and sunglasses; choosing clothing with UPF 50+ , which is designed to block UV rays; and spending less time outside when UV levels are especially high — in other words, using the UV index as intended.

Swapping the sun for a tanning bed isn't a safer bet either. Hale notes that they can emit UVA radiation at levels up to 10 to 15 times stronger than the midday sun, and research shows that using a tanning bed just once before age 35 is linked to a 75% increase in melanoma risk .

"The bottom line is: There is no such thing as a safe tan," says Hale. "Protecting your skin now can help reduce the amount of UV damage you accumulate throughout your lifetime."

And if it's the bronzed look you're after, Rastogi suggests reaching for spray tans or self-tanners instead. "Ultimately, when it comes to your skin, it's best to look beyond social media trends and rely on evidence-based advice from dermatologists," she says.