Skin cancer - tanning (2024)

A tan and UV

A tan is a sign that your skin is trying to protect itself from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It is a sign of skin damage, not a sign of good health. There is no such thing as a 'safe' tan. Exposure to UV radiation from the sun (or a tanning bed such as a solarium or collarium) increases your risk of skin cancer and ages your skin. In fact, 80% of visible signs of facial aging such as fine lines and wrinkles are due to UV exposure.

Many people mistakenly believe that having a tan protects their skin against sunburn and UV damage. In fact, a tan offers little protection against sunburn (equal to around SPF 3, depending on your skin type). A tan will not protect your DNA from future UV damage.

Protection from the sun

Fake tanning lotions, sprays and creams offer little to no protection from the sun's UV radiation. Some brands advertise that they include a high SPF sunscreen. Similar to other sunscreens, this UV protection may only last up to 2 hours and does not last for as long as the fake tan, so sun protection is still recommended even if you have applied a fake tan. For the best sun protection, whenever UV levels are 3 or higher:

Wear sun protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
Apply SPF50+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen 20 minutes before you go outside, and reapply it every 2 hours, or more frequently if swimming, sweating or towel drying.
Wear a broad-brimmed, bucket or legionnaire style hat that shades the face, head, neck and ears.
Wear sunglasses. Make sure they meet Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1067. Optometry Australia recommends using eye protection all year.
Seek shade.

How skin tans

Skin cells in the top layer of skin produce a pigment called melanin, which gives skin its natural colour. When skin is exposed to UV radiation, more melanin is produced, causing the skin to darken. This is what we know as a 'tan'. A tan is a sign that the skin has been damaged by UV radiation. It is not a sign of good health.

There is no 'safe' suntan. Any tanning method that exposes the skin to UV radiation will cause skin damage. The more your skin is exposed to UV radiation, the greater your risk of skin cancer and the quicker your skin will age.

Australia’s high UV

Australians are exposed to some of the highest levels of UV radiation in the world. Australia also has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Two in 3 Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. Over 2,000 Australians die from skin cancer each year.

Tanning products and sun protection

Cancer Council recommends using a sunscreen that is SPF50+. Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours. Remember to use it together with other sun protection measures:

covering clothing
broad-brimmed hat
shade
sunglasses.

Types of tanning products

The range of tanning products available includes:

Topical dyes – tanning lotions, creams, sprays, mousses, combined moisturiser and 'fake tan' products. These are generally made from vegetable dyes that stain the skin a darker colour. This gives a temporary appearance of a tan, which is why it is referred to as a 'fake tan'. This colour does not stimulate the production of melanin, and it does not provide protection against UV radiation. The dye is shed, along with dead skin cells, after a few days.
Bronzers and tinted sunscreens – tinted cosmetic and sun protection products such as moisturisers, foundation, powders and sunscreen. Bronzers provide the skin with temporary colour that, unlike dyes, washes off with soap and water.
Tan accelerators – claim to speed up the natural tanning process by stimulating melanin production in the body. They come in tablet, injection or lotion form. Using tan accelerators for a long time has been associated with an increased risk of skin cancer. When taken by mouth, the possible side effects of tan accelerator products include nausea, headaches and itchy skin.
Spray tanning booths – these use mist spray guns to apply an even coat of fake tan solution to all, or parts of, the body. They are often found at beauty salons, hairdressers and some gymnasiums.

Tanning product risks

It is recommended that people avoid use of UV radiation to get a tan. But using fake tanning products comes with some health risks too.

Tanning products and dihydroxyacetone (DHA)

The active ingredient in many fake tan products is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). Lower concentrations of DHA produce a light tan. Higher concentrations of DHA produce a darker tan.

DHA is considered safe for topical application to the skin. But there is no conclusive evidence that it is safe to expose your eyes, lips, mucous membranes or internal organs to DHA.

While there is no absolute evidence that spray tans are harmful to humans, recent research has shown that DHA could be harmful if inhaled.

Tan accelerators

Tan accelerators are available in tablet, injection or lotion form. These products contain the chemicals psoralen and tyrosine, among others. These chemicals contribute to the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin colour.

With sensitised melanin cells, it is possible to get a suntan in a shorter time than usual. But these products don't provide any sun protection.

There is no evidence that the topical use of tyrosine has any effect on melanin cells. When applied to the skin, tan accelerator products can cause painful blistering.

Psoralen should only be used under medical supervision to treat skin problems such as psoriasis.

Using tan accelerators for a long time has been found to increase the risk of skin cancer. When taken by mouth, the possible side effects of tan accelerator products include nausea, headaches and itchy skin.

Tanning injections (Melanotan)

Melanotan is a type of tanning injection. It stimulates production of melanin, the pigment that gives your skin its colour. This gives skin a tanned appearance.

Melanotan is generally bought from overseas websites. It is banned in Australia unless you have a prescription from a doctor in Australia. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) advises against using Melanotan. It has not been tested to Australia’s rigorous standards and the long-term side effects are unknown. Also, self-injecting any substance risks serious infection.

If you, or someone you know is using Melanotan, the TGA recommends stopping and taking the rest to a pharmacy for safe disposal.

A solarium or collarium tan is not a safe tan

Due to the associated health risks, commercial solariums were banned in Victoria in January 2015. Before the ban, it was estimated that each year in Australia solarium use led to:

281 new melanoma cases
43 melanoma-related deaths
2,572 new cases of squamous cell carcinoma.

Solariums (also known as sunbeds, sunlamps or tanning beds) use UV radiation to tan the skin. They emit stronger UV radiation levels than the sun (up to 6 times as strong as the midday summer sun). This means they can damage your skin even faster than UV from the sun, and lead to cancer.

Solarium tans offer no protection against DNA damage to skin cells, wtel:1300 767 469hich can occur without any visible signs of skin damage.

A collarium or collagen bed is similar to a solarium. It may also be promoted as red light therapy. Instead of the typical blue lights of a solarium, a collarium uses lamps emitting “red light” wavelengths (pink and red light) in addition to UVA and UVB radiation.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has put UV-emitting tanning beds in its highest cancer risk category. Tobacco and asbestos are also in this category.

Solariums and collariums can cause:

• eye damage
• immediate skin damage (such as sunburn, irritation, redness and swelling)
• possible immune system changes.

They also increase your risk of skin cancer.

Research shows that people who use a solarium before the age of 35 have a 59% greater risk of melanoma than those who do not use solariums. Using a solarium also increases the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by 67% and basal cell carcinoma by 29%, when compared to people who have never used a solarium.

To report the unlawful use of tanning units (solariums or collariums) for commercial purposes, or for further queries about solarium legislation in Victoria, contact the Department of Health’s Radiation Safety TeamExternal Link on Tel. 1300 767 469 (from 9am – 1pm, Monday – Friday) or email radiation.safety@health.vic.gov.au.

Where to get help

Your GP (doctor)
Pharmacist
Dermatologist
SunSmart Tel. (03) 9514 6419
Cancer Council Tel. 13 11 20 – for information and support
Cancer Council – Support in your own language Tel. 13 14 50