If your college schedule looked anything like mine, you had a biology lecture at 8 a.m., your news reporting and writing class (that one came in handy) at 11, then a visit to the tanning salon around the corner before a 3 p.m. study group.

A few weeks ago, I took a drive through my alma mater, the University of Minnesota. This campus was once home to multiple tanning salons, most notably Darque Tan, a sleek, modern, all-white space managed by a deeply bronzed young man in designer jeans named Alex. From 2006 to 2010, I lay there buck naked on a plastic bed for a couple of hours a week, soaking up UV rays from the dozens of blindingly bright bulbs that surrounded my body. Whenever I could, I’d hop over to Darque, pop a heart sticker on my hip, and get in a quick 15-minute session while listening to Britney Spears.

But Darque Tan is no more. And neither is the Planet Beach Tan near my first off-campus house (though the franchise still exists elsewhere in Minneapolis-St. Paul). Also no more: the tanning bed in the basement of the salon in the on-campus hamlet that U of M students call Dinkytown. There are no tanning beds anywhere within walking distance of a classroom or dorm. When I asked a 19-year-old college freshman at my alma mater if she and her friends partake in indoor tanning, she confirmed that they do—but unlike prior generations of sorority sisters, who used to hop in the car and drive five minutes to a salon right off campus, they have to carpool to a nearby suburb to access a tanning bed.

Back in 2015, Allure conducted an investigation into the number of tanning beds on college campuses. Nearly half of America’s top 125 colleges and universities had tanning beds on campus or in off-campus housing. At many of these institutions, students could even use their meal cards to pay for a daily dose of UV radiation in addition to a breakfast sandwich or French fries.

Since that 2015 story ran, however, most campuses have stopped offering free or reduced-price tanning, and many of those near-campus salons have closed their doors. One of the salons we mentioned in the original piece, Indiana’s Big Ten Tan—located in a building leased by the Purdue Research Foundation and so close to Purdue University that Google Maps placed it on campus—is now closed. Arizona State University’s Vista del Sol apartment complex no longer includes “tanning” on its amenities list. Sun Tan City, the massive chain with more than 250 locations across the United States that once donated $3 million to the University of Kentucky, still appears to sponsor some college dance teams, but we’re heartened to see the dancers only mention getting spray tans in posts on social media. Does this all mean that young people have, for the most part, stopped tanning?

The short answer is no. “There's good news, and there's bad news,” says Sherry Pagoto, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Connecticut, who has done several studies related to tanning bed culture—including the 2015 study that inspired our article. “With indoor tanning, that’s where the good news is: We’re looking at maybe only 3% of young adults and teenagers using tanning beds anymore.” (Compare that to 2013, when 8.6% of people ages 18 to 29 reported using tanning beds.)

Dr. Pagoto confirms that after her 2015 study was published (and featured in Allure), many campuses severed their relationships with tanning salons and stopped allowing students to use their campus cards to pay for UV radiation. Changing cultural attitudes about indoor tanning did have an impact on this cohort’s tanning bed usage, and Dr. Pagoto notes that the COVID-19 pandemic put another nail in the sunbed coffin with lockdowns and an increased interest in health and wellness.

Plus, we’re learning more and more about just how incredibly harmful indoor tanning is. A 2025 study from Northwestern Medicine and the University of California, San Francisco, found that indoor tanning can actually triple your risk of skin cancer, compared to those who have never tanned indoors. People are (mostly) more aware than ever that tanning beds can cause some significant health issues.

Plenty of work has been done to spread the word that outdoor tanning is dangerous, too. The National Council for Skin Cancer Prevention kick-started the Skin Smart Campus initiative, which had a favorable impact on sun safety practices among students, with things like targeted social media posts and on-campus sunscreen dispensers that increased students’ regular use of SPF 30+. The program has since evolved and currently lives under the umbrella of Impact Melanoma, a nonprofit dedicated to melanoma education and awareness. It also recently endorsed a new four-part web series called The Burning Truth, hosted by dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe and her 14-year-old daughter Maclane. In each episode—airing on Dr. Bowe's Instagram and TikTok channels and produced in partnership with La Roche-Posay—the dermatologist and other science educators and personalities (like Dancing With the Stars Witney Carson) debunk false claims about sun safety.

So then, what’s this about bad news? Well, despite all of this research and education, young people are still tanning. A lot more than you’d think. A 2025 survey by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) revealed that half of Gen Z participants got a sunburn in 2024, and 25% said that getting a tan was important to them, regardless of their future health or the aesthetic impact. Dr. Pagoto has seen this among her own 18-year-old daughter’s peers. They’re not interested in tanning beds, but they’re still very interested in getting tan.

Of course, we have to point out that “the tanner, the better” attitude is most prevalent among one demographic: Though it’s been a while since any formal research was published, a 2008 study found that white women were most likely to use indoor tanning beds. A 2013 study found that 29.3% of “non-Hispanic white female high school students” used an indoor tanning bed, and 16.7% of them did so frequently. Meanwhile, rampant colorism means that many Black and brown women have been told to practice “religious avoidance of the sun.”

Does this mean the younger generation has embraced “laying out” in lieu of lying in a tanning bed? That's exactly what it means. They’re tanning “the natural way”—under the actual noonday sun of the backyard or pool deck or rooftop or quad. “The victory around tanning beds is a good one because they are particularly dangerous, but the sun is not safe either,” says Dr. Pagoto, who notes that she’s also done research around sunless tanning and was hoping more people would shift to that approach, given the pretty incredible innovations available in spray tanning and at-home tanning.

But in recent years, social media has supercharged the currency of a real tan. As I write this, searches for “tanning” are growing more than 30% year over year on Google, TikTok, and Instagram, according to Spate Data. If you take a scroll through the suntan-y side of social media apps, you’ll see creators sharing their “tanning credentials”: photos of glowing, bronzed skin paired with rules like “being consistent” and sitting out every day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They create timed routines for tanning and share glimpses of their very obvious tan lines as proof of progress—and a covetable memento for viewers to try and replicate in their own backyards.

In addition to sharing those “GRWM to lay out” routines and favorite tanning accelerator products—most formulated without any SPF—tanning creators are also closely tracking the UV Index, which measures the intensity of the sun’s rays, to optimize their UV exposure. There are even several smartphone apps, with names like SunIQ and SunTracker, specifically dedicated to tracking the index and creating tanning routines, including timed notifications to apply oil or to flip over. This is antithetical to what this scale was intended for, says Laurel Geraghty, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Medford, Oregon. “The UV Index was created to help people identify the strength of the sun's rays to help prevent sunburn and skin cancer,” she explains. “Now, they use it to determine when they can get the most intense blast of ultraviolet light for the fastest tan or burn.” How would Dr. Geraghty characterize the phenomenon? “Horrifying.”

Youthful tanners know that tanning is dangerous; the education today is so much better than it was when I was tingling my way through a 20-minute session of UV light. So why are they doing it, especially when they’re also obsessed with skin care and afraid of aging?

One theory: The 2000s are in the trend cycle again; low-rise jeans, body glitter, and the very thin, very tan aesthetic have all made a comeback. It's only natural to mimic what you see on your screen in your real life, much as I did with tabloid pictures of Britney, Christina, and Paris. For many, looking tan means looking thinner, with more even-toned skin, and even less acne. (That’s not actually true, as tanning can make acne and post-acne scars worse, but the idea persists.)

“There's a big gap between what you look like and what you think you should and could look like, and that gap is what really drives people's dissatisfaction about the way their skin looks and their weight,” says Jerod Stapleton, PhD, professor of health, behavior, and society at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, who has been studying tanning bed usage since the early 2000s, including its impact on body image. Tanning—wherever you do it—is designed to alleviate some of those negative feelings, much in the way a $7 latte can help you deal with a bad day, even if it’s outside your budget. “It's that immediate, I'm not feeling great, and this helps me feel better in the moment, kind of thing that underlies a lot of what we do,” says Dr. Stapleton. And tanning does feel good, especially if you live in a colder climate. There have even been studies about why your mood changes for the better after using a tanning bed.

Light makes us happy; anyone with a SAD lamp can attest to that. But claiming to tan because you need the mood boost or a dose of vitamin D doesn’t quite cut it. “Ultraviolet light, whether it comes from the sun or a tanning bed, is a known carcinogen, just like tobacco and asbestos,” Dr. Geraghty says. “UV light causes cancer—period. Don't delude yourself into thinking it's safe because you need vitamin D. There are other ways to get vitamin D.” Many things can make someone deficient in vitamin D, so check with your doctor if you’re concerned about your own levels. Dietary changes and supplementation are usually the first courses of treatment. (And if you really want to turn to the sun—you can get a day’s worth of vitamin D from just 10 minutes of exposure.)

What are the tanners themselves saying? “We tan because we feel more confident or ‘prettier’ when we’re tan,” my college-aged source, who prefers to remain anonymous, told me. “In summer, everyone wants to be ‘the tannest.’ It’s honestly a lot of work to go tanning or sit in the hot sun, but afterwards I feel better about myself, and I think I look better.” She says it’s difficult not to compare yourself to others, and to fit those ever-present, ever-looming beauty standards. A 2023 study found that young women in sororities were more likely to have used tanning beds, reporting that they did so for the confidence boost and to fit in in a social dynamic.

“When self-image is closely tied to appearance, people are more willing to accept health risks,” says Clint Salo, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist in Irvine, California, who specializes in behavioral health and risk-related decision-making. “It becomes less about safety and more about feeling confident in the moment. A tan offers a fast, visible payoff, while skin cancer or premature aging feels distant and abstract.” In many cases, Dr. Salo says, the brain may discount the long-term risks since they don’t feel immediate or certain.

The AAD study backs up that mindset: 25% of respondents said, “It’s worth looking great now, even if it means looking worse later.” Allure spoke to one high school freshman in New Jersey who was horrified when we asked if she would ever go to a tanning salon—but she's committed to “laying out” every summer. She tracks the UV Index on her iPhone weather app to maximize her time in the sun—and always wears sunscreen, she says. At least that’s something. Until… “and then I put tanning oil on top.” When we asked if she’s concerned about the age spots and wrinkles this high-UV-index habit will lead to, she replied simply, “That’s for the future to decide.”

Then there’s the social aspect of tanning; I spent many summer days turning over and over on a beach blanket with friends, so I know firsthand that this activity—much like ducking out together for a smoke break—lends itself to time with friends. And social media basically puts a tanning bed or sunny lying-out session in the palm of your hand, like a cool older sibling telling you what to do.

It's not hard to see the contradiction between this social-led, aspirational tanning and the steady stream of age-defying skin-care content on our TikTok and Instagram accounts. “There's this juxtaposition of really valuing skin care while also really valuing being tan,” says Dr. Pagoto. “These two things cannot go together. But if you're on social media, it looks like they can.” She adds that as aesthetic and plastic surgery procedures become more mainstream, people also think they can reverse the impact of their tanning habit with things like lasers and peels. To the young tanners reading this (we hope), this thinking will cost you thousands upon thousands of dollars a year as an adult. Trust me.

Image has always been a form of social currency, but Dr. Salo says social media has amplified this for Gen Z. “A certain look, including tanned skin, is often tied to attractiveness, health, or lifestyle,” he says. “If the reward is likes, attention, or belonging, that feedback loop can override health knowledge.”

The TikTok algorithm in particular is a very savvy, responsive one. Even just a few minutes of scrolling through tanning videos in the name of research means I’m now seeing that content constantly: someone sharing their day of laying out, another video glamorizing the 2000s tanning salon aesthetic. If it’s coming at you from all sides—and your frontal cortex, which helps humans make good decisions, isn’t fully formed—why wouldn’t you want to work on your own bikini tan lines in the name of belonging?

To their credit, some of the TikTok tanners are using sunscreen. But while a layer of SPF 15 is better than nothing, it’s not going to protect you from six hours in full sun or undo existing damage. Dermatologists recommend an SPF of at least 30 and reapplication every two hours. And that New Jersey teenager isn’t the only one who’s devised a system of sunscreen topped with tanning oil. “Layering an oil on top of an SPF lotion could affect the achieved level of UV protection,” says cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos. “It can disrupt the sunscreen film from the base product, especially if that sunscreen contains inorganic filters like TiO2 or ZnO.” She also notes that most consumers aren't applying enough sunscreen to get the bottle's promised SPF in the first place. And while there are dermatological procedures and some topical products that can help reverse certain sun damage, you can’t buy a cream at Sephora to wipe out precancerous cells.

Once again for the bronzed folks in the back: “There is no such thing as a safe tan,” says Dr. Geraghty. “Damage from the sun or from tanning beds is all cumulative. How many cigarettes does it take to develop lung cancer? How many times in the sun or in the tanning booth does it take to develop skin cancer? Time will tell, but we each have a number, and every time we tan, we’re getting closer to it.” Dr. Geraghty stresses that multiple sunburns and multiple tanning bed sessions will “get you there fastest.”

The fact is that melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer—is on the rise, with cases estimated to be up to 10.6% higher in 2026 than in 2025, according to an American Cancer Society report. Some of this rise is due to better and earlier detection, but it’s also the result of my millennial generation of tanning bed users now confronting the reality of that youthful habit.

“The things that we hear that are concerning are that, ‘It's just skin cancer,’” says Alicia Walker Rowell, vice president of AIM at Melanoma, a nonprofit dedicated to spreading awareness of and finding a cure for melanoma. “The related skin cancers, basal and squamous cell, are really concerning too. They may not have as high a death rate as melanoma, but basal can be disfiguring and painful, and squamous can be a killer as well.” Rowell notes that the government doesn’t currently track squamous and basal cell cancers, so estimates are often educated guesses regarding the number of cases.

Perhaps some of the blame lies not with individuals themselves, but with the government. Tanning education is certainly not a priority of the current U.S. Department of Health. In fact, it doesn’t seem like they care at all about the potentially deadly impacts of sun exposure, much like they don’t care about the resurgence of measles. After all, the health secretary uses tanning beds himself, and the Big Beautiful Bill included a repeal of the 10% tanning tax imposed on tanning salons under Obamacare. Over the last decade or so, many states implemented laws banning minors from using tanning beds due to the (very) high risk of skin cancer, but the FDA just pulled a proposal to make this a nationwide ban. In my youth, anti-smoking initiatives were everywhere, including on TV and in the classroom, but tanning has never gotten the same attention. If no one is actively trying to stop this harmful behavior, then it will likely continue.

And what about those former indoor tanners? Dr. Geraghty sees them today, and they “regret it deeply,” she says. “They’re very concerned about their risk of skin cancer. They see lines, spots, wrinkles, dyspigmentation, skin laxity, and crepey areas that they desperately wish they could reverse—and they often cannot.” Sure, younger tanners may not see those things today, but as a millennial with a generous smattering of sunspots across her chest, I can attest that they will soon.

Brittanny Groover, 32, grew up tanning, even visiting tanning salons with her mom as a bonding activity. (This is a common anecdote for many millennial women, myself included, whose first exposure to tanning began with their mothers.) She was diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma at 27 and underwent a year of immunotherapy treatment, which meant visiting a clinic for four hours every three weeks to get blood testing and Keytruda infusions via IV. The life-saving medication came with uncomfortable side effects, including rashes “randomly all over my body” and colitis, or inflammation of the colon. “Colitis was the worst," Groover says, noting that she had abdominal symptoms for six months before it was diagnosed. “I lost about 20 pounds and ended up with pancreatitis before it was caught.” Today, she is five years cancer-free.

In her youth, Groover says, there was “no teaching about sun safety.… It was, ‘As soon as the sun comes out, you go outside and lie on a towel, and as soon as the cold comes, you graduate to lying in tanning beds.’” Given her tanning habits, Groover says she wasn’t entirely surprised that she was diagnosed with skin cancer, but it was a much more serious challenge than she ever imagined. She says she has “learned everything I can about how dangerous tanning beds are” and "relearned everything I thought I knew about the sun,” which includes wearing sunscreen, UPF clothing, and staying in the shade. “I still love the sun. I’m always going to be a summer baby, but I live with it differently now.” Groover gets yearly scans to ensure her cancer hasn't come back, as she says melanoma is “sneaky, silent, and aggressive” and could return to her organs, including her brain, skin, or lymph nodes. “It can return anywhere at this point at any point in time,” she shares.

Groover sympathizes with the mindset that tanning makes you look better. She felt it herself. But she wishes current-day tanners would “flip their perspective” on tanning. “When our skin is getting darker from UV rays, it’s actually screaming out for help,” she says. “It should be ringing alarm bells that we just did something to our skin that could cause cancer in the future, a dark spot that will last forever, a wrinkle that could last forever.”

Dr. Geraghty agrees. “I always want to invite the patients to spend a day with me in the clinic so they can see the scars, hear the tears and fears about having a cancer surgery on the nose, hear the rueful words of so many who lived before them who sought the sun, then paid the price for it,” she says. “When it comes to skin, Mother Nature gives us feedback too late: We tan, we burn, we repeat, and we feel like we get away with it until a few years or possibly a few decades later, when we wind up with surgery after surgery, freezes, light treatments, chemotherapy creams and other harsh treatments, frequent skin checks, numerous biopsies, and more. It's not worth it.”

Keep reading about sun safety:

• How Many Times Do We Have to Have the Sunscreen Talk?
• A New Study Proves That Tanning Beds Are Far Riskier Than We Ever Knew
• Are Tanning Beds Really a Psoriasis Treatment?