“I’m about to cover my whole bikini top in this self-tanner!” exclaims Jemma Violet as she applies a rich brown mousse to her neck, chest, and halter bikini.
This all unfolds in a trending TikTok video, where Jemma shares her tips on achieving that perfect tan line look—without ever lapping up the sun’s rays.
“Don’t forget to get your arms and everything tanned… wait a couple of hours before rinsing it off!” After a quick cut, Jemma flaunts her striking white stripes against her sun-kissed skin, looking thrilled with the result.
I still remember back in the 90s, how embarrassed I would feel if my tan lines were visible. I did everything I could to even them out (and believe me, it didn’t always go well). Fast forward to the mid-2020s, and suddenly tan lines are the new cool, with people eager to show them off.
Jemma comments, “When they fell out of fashion, they were viewed as flaws, but nowadays they represent summer vibes and an active lifestyle—now, they’re totally sought after!”
“This trend has skyrocketed recently; you can even spot tan lines on the catwalks these days!” she adds.
Some folks are even taking it a step further, using masking tape—stuff you’d find in your garage—to create those sharp lines on their skin.
“No shade here—I’m all about showing off those tan lines safely,” Jemma says with a grin. “It looks captivating—the contrast between the dark tanned skin and bright lines is eye-catching!”
With over 200 million TikTok views for various tan line posts, Jemma isn’t alone. Yet, amid this wave of fake tanners, some people choose to bask in the sun to earn those real tan lines, sometimes ending up with painful burns.
Hashtags like #sunburntanlines, #sunpoisoning, and ##sunstroke are surfacing alongside videos of users, some showing off their painful pink skin, while others are genuinely begging for advice. One even proudly proclaimed, “No pain, no gain!”
Back in Victorian times, having a tan was a sign of working-class poverty, nearly as bad as dealing with hay barrels for a living.
Then by the 1920s, achieving a few freckles and a well-defined tan line indicated that you’d climbed the social ladder, breeding associations with health, wealth, and lavish getaways.
Throughout the groovy 60s and 70s, sun-worshipers were slathering on cooking oil and chilling under reflective blankets to amplify their tans. Yet, as awareness regarding UV rays and skin cancer grew, concerns became undeniable.
This kept us tangled in a complicated dance with our skin tone desires. Despite the countless ifs and buts, achieving that flawless tan now carries significant risks.
If anyone would have told Jak Howells about harmful sunburn years ago, he likely wouldn’t have cared, instead basking in sunlight—or rather, his obsession with tanning beds.
“I know it sounds odd, but I was completely hooked on lying under those tanning lights,” says the 26-year-old from Swansea.
This addiction first kicked in when he was 15 after some older friends got him to try it. By 19, Jak was practically living in the tanning bed, clocking in five sessions a week for 18-20 minutes each.
“My skin ended up so crispy—I mean, my face was beetroot red. Yet somehow, the compliments kept calling me back,” he recalls. “Deep down, I was aware of the dangers, but I never took it seriously enough.”
Managing to blend vanity with risk, Jak felt a thrill every time someone admired his radiant hue.
But everything changed when he saw his mom’s horrified response while she examined what turned out to be a bleeding mole on his back.
Just before Christmas 2021, Jak was handed the life-changing diagnosis of melanoma, one of the more perilous skin cancers that can infiltrate other body parts.
What followed was what Jak describes as two years packed with chaos and fear. He underwent complex surgery that involved cutting away large chunks of skin from his back, chest, and groin. Only three months later, the cancer made its unsettling return.
With immunotherapy kicking in—utilizing his immune system to conquer the cancer—doctors made it clear that he only had a year left if treatments failed.
“The sickness was horrendous—I would lay in bed for days. It felt like I was hit by a truck. My body was wrecked, and I was a mere shell of who I used to be,” Jak admits. “Every day was waiting for the next scan, wondering about my treatment outcomes.”
The Real Story Behind Rising Melanoma Cases
In the UK, melanoma skin cancer instances have surged nearly a third in the last ten years. Curious, I reached out to Megan Fisher from Cancer Research UK to understand why this shocking rise is happening, especially since people today know more about harmful UV rays and skin cancer links.
“There’s a few reasons for this increase,” she explains. “Often, those unfortunate enough to burn decades ago simply increased their future cancer risks. Even getting sunburnt just once every two years triples your likelihood of developing skin cancer later on.”
Moreover, we’re getting older as a population, naturally raising cancer occurrence rates and making prompt detection more likely.
However, Megan highlighted that spreading false information is also muddying our understanding of sun safety and risks.
“We seem to have taken a huge backwards step,” mentions Dr. Kate McCann, a specialist in preventive health. “Claims asserting that the sun’s rays are beneficial, and sunscreen leads to cancer is a total miscommunication regarding health education.”
She’s concerned that pairing the current contagious trend of deliberately getting burned for tan lines with false allegations about sun protection may create a worrying mix.
“Whenever I see a young person sporting a sunburn now, it sends off alarm bells—they could be increasing their cancer risk over the next few decades.”
While certain suntan lotions may have ingredients like oxybenzone—which could harm coral ecosystems—Dr. McCann enforces there’s no solid proof linking these chemicals to cancer risks in humans.
“If chemical components in suntan lotions pose a dilemma for you, there are plenty of natural alternatives—like zinc or mineral-based options—but totally skipping out on sunscreen isn’t going to solve anything.”
Having once reveled in flaunting his tan lines, Jak now looks at sunlight with caution, inundating himself in SPF at the slightest thought of going outside.
After receiving the all-clear from cancer in December 2022, he embraced a new career, channeling the lessons from his journey to form content and raise awareness.
Reflecting back, Jak understands that what transpired was undoubtedly influenced by his own choices.
“For a significant period of time, I berated myself for it,” he confesses. “But now that I’ve lived the grim reality, I feel I’ve endured enough of it to share my experience and raise awareness.”
Back on TikTok, Jemma—a beauty guru—is on a mission to ensure others avoid walking a path like Jak’s.
“We do understand what skin damage can do,” she reassures. “We aren’t going down that road!”
- For those seeking support and information regarding topics raised here, check out the list of resources available at BBC Action Line
