A 23-year-old melanoma survivor is sounding the alarm as Gen Z brings tanning culture roaring back online.

Nichole Sims was just 15 when she started climbing into tanning beds, chasing the same golden glow her friends showed off before homecoming and prom. Eight years later, that habit came with a diagnosis she never expected: melanoma, one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer.

Now Sims spends her time doing the opposite of what she once did — trying to talk young people out of tanning, not into it. She’s watched the trend explode again on social media, where influencers frame sunbathing and tanning beds as an easy mood boost and a beauty must-have. Sims believes her generation is more focused on the moment than the long-term risk, and she’s not wrong to worry.

The Science Behind the Tanning Bed Danger

Northwestern University researcher Dr. Pedram Gerami wanted to understand what tanning beds actually do to skin at a cellular level. His team compared skin samples from tanning bed users to those who’d never used one, focusing on melanocytes — the cells responsible for moles, melanoma and other skin cancers.

The findings were stark. Tanning bed users showed a mutation rate in those cells more than double that of people who’d only been exposed to the sun. Gerami explained that it only takes two or three mutations in the right spot to trigger melanoma, and tanning beds — which can blast out more than 10 times the UV radiation of natural sunlight — speed up that process dramatically. Users in his research also carried nearly triple the melanoma risk compared to non-users.

Gen Z’s Misconceptions About Tanning Are Spreading

A 2025 American Academy of Dermatology survey found that Gen Z adults know less about sun safety than older generations — and believe more of the myths. Over a fifth of young adults said they’d rather get a tan than protect their skin, and more than half believed a “base tan” offers real protection from sunburn. It doesn’t.

Viral videos have only muddied the waters further. Some creators mock dermatologists’ warnings outright, falsely claiming sunscreen itself causes cancer. Others actively encourage tanning during peak UV hours, the exact window experts say to avoid. Dr. Anthony Rossi of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center says tanning has become “cool again” among younger people, pushing skin cancer and premature aging education to the back burner. Rossi has his own history with tanning beds and later developed a non-melanoma skin cancer himself. His takeaway: there’s no version of tanning that’s actually safe.

Why Regulation on Tanning Has Stalled

The World Health Organization puts tanning beds in the same cancer-causing category as tobacco and asbestos. Research shows using them before age 20 raises melanoma risk by 47%. California became the first state to ban minors from tanning beds back in 2012, and more than a dozen states have since followed with their own restrictions or parental consent requirements.

But progress stalled this year when the FDA withdrew a proposed nationwide rule that would have banned tanning bed use for anyone under 18. The rule, first proposed back in 2015, was pulled in March over what the agency called concerns about unintended consequences. Health experts worry the withdrawal sends a confusing message to teens and parents alike.

Talking to Teens About the Risks of Tanning

University of Connecticut psychologist Sherry Pagoto, who’s studied tanning culture for years, says scare tactics about cancer often fall flat with teenagers, since younger brains aren’t wired to prioritize long-term consequences. What actually lands, she says, is talking about appearance — since that’s the real motivation behind the habit in the first place. Framing the conversation around premature wrinkles and leathery skin, rather than cancer statistics, tends to resonate more.

Pagoto also suggests dermatologist visits, where a UV photo can reveal invisible sun damage lurking beneath the surface. Since many teen girls pick up tanning habits from their mothers, modeling safe behavior at home matters too — keeping sunscreen stocked and offering self-tanner as an alternative. Change won’t happen overnight, but Pagoto says patience pays off as teens work through it on their own timeline.

Source: Los Angeles Times