Addiction, dysmorphia, beauty standards: Why are we still using sunbeds?

She is far from the only influencer to admit to using sunbeds. In 2023, Irish content creator Olivia Neill (who has almost 900,000 followers on TikTok) received backlash after revealing she had been diagnosed with skin cancer, with many believing her sunbed habit was to blame. US influencer Emily Lula May (who boasts 1.3 million followers on the platform) this year documented her “tanning bed routine” in a video she prefaced with the line: “‘Tanning beds give you cancer’ – if you smoke, if you vape, if you eat processed foods, you’re also getting cancer. Leave me alone.”

In the age of bottled bronze and spray tan technicians (not to mention the wealth of research linking tanning beds to skin cancer), it can be hard to fathom that people are still choosing to expose themselves to ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the pursuit of tanned skin. To many, the sunbed is an old-fangled if not feudal mechanism that, like St Ives Apricot Scrub and silicone injections before it, has been shunned in favour of modern, safer alternatives.

But like other ghosts of beauty’s past, sunbeds appear to have crept back into the mainstream. Unlike a skinny brow, however, sunbeds have been proven to cause cancer.

In 2009, UV-emitting tanning devices were classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, joining the ranks of cigarettes and asbestos. One analysis from 2021 reported that the risk of cutaneous melanoma (the most aggressive form of skin cancer) increased 27% in people who had ever been exposed to sunbeds or solaria.

While there are no recent statistics on sunbed use in Aotearoa (a 2010 survey indicated around 92,000 Kiwis were indoor tanning), UK research reported this year that 28% of the public were using sunbeds – with a worrying 23% of 18-25-year-olds believing sunbeds decreased the risk of skin cancer. The study estimated sunbeds cause around 440 melanomas and 100 deaths in the UK each year.

So what is driving people towards these casket-like contraptions? And why are sunbeds still being used?

Why are sunbeds bad for us?

Sunbeds use artificial UV radiation to stimulate tanning: like unprotected exposure to the sun, this UV light damages the cells’ DNA. When the body is exposed to UV radiation, it increases the production of melanin, or pigment, to protect the skin from further damage. A tan is essentially a sign that your skin has been harmed.

“Tanning beds emit predominantly UVA and a small amount of UVB [types of radiation] to induce a tanning effect. UVA is a key contributor to premature ageing, characterised by wrinkling, mottled pigmentation, loss of skin tone and rough texture,” dermatologist Dr Ken Ip told the Herald.

“New Zealand and Australia have the highest rates of skin cancers, including melanomas, in the world. While there are multiple reasons for this, unprotected exposure to UV radiation in sunlight is one of the key contributors, by damaging the DNA in skin cells. Sunbeds artificially expose the skin to even higher amounts of damaging UV radiation that, in turn, further increases the risk of skin cancers.”

Using sunbeds before the age of 35 has been found to increase the risk of developing melanoma by 75%, Dr Monique Mackenzie, New Zealand’s first Māori female doctor specialising in dermatology, told the Herald.

“When you put this into a New Zealand context, where your lifetime risk of melanoma if you are fair-skinned is already 1 in 15, using a sunbed would increase that risk to 1 in 8. That is a very concerning figure.”

Studies also support a “dose-response relationship” in which the risk of skin cancer and melanoma increases with every sunbed session.

“One sunbed session is enough to increase your risk of skin cancer, so there is no safe limit,” Mackenzie said.

It’s illegal to operate a commercial solarium (sunbed salon) anywhere in Australia, yet sunbeds are still legal in Aotearoa. The only legislation, passed in 2017, prohibits sunbed operators from serving under-18s.

“The important message to emphasise is that there is no such thing as a ‘safe tan’ from sun exposure or sunbed use,” Ip stressed.

Why are people using sunbeds?

There could be numerous factors encouraging people to take up tanning beds, despite the well-documented risks – but Dr Kate MacKrill, a psychological medicine lecturer, told the Herald she believe beauty standards were largely to blame.

“It’s really hard to ignore the emphasis on social media and in popular culture of being sun-kissed. The common perception is that a tan makes a person look healthy, attractive and ‘hot’,” MacKrill said.

“We’ve been exposed to this for decades, at least in Western cultures, and social media has fuelled this preoccupation, so these beliefs are very difficult to undo.”

One 2022 research paper noted that tanning-seeking behaviours may be driven by “motivations for an appealing appearance“, while ”beautification motives of looking attractive” were among the primary reasons for sunbed use in Europe.

Mackenzie agrees. “Beauty ideals are driven by social and cultural norms that vary by country and region. Today we see a more diverse range of skin types but ultimately, tanned models on the beach are still popular images seen in social media and advertising, especially at this time of year.”

Auckland-based model and self-confessed tanning addict Sophie Negus has used sunbeds in the past. She told the Herald she believes she has a type of body dysmorphia, a disorder in which a person becomes obsessively focused on “fixing” a perceived flaw in their appearance. Sophie says she likely has “tan dysmorphia”.

“I never really thought much about sunbeds until I saw the YouTuber Olivia Neill using them religiously, and even though she would warn her viewers not to use them, I didn’t really care,” Negus said.

“I’ve been obsessed with fake tanning since I was 14, so I was keen to do anything it took to battle my tan dysmorphia. I always just tried to tell myself that sunbeds can’t be worse than the New Zealand sun but obviously I’m lying to myself.”

While tan dysmorphia is not an official diagnosis, MacKrill said “tanorexia” – a type of body dysmorphic disorder – has been identified in academic research.

“‘Tanorexia’ [is] where a person sees their skin colour as the ‘flaw’ and they become preoccupied with constantly checking their appearance in mirrors, comparing themselves to others, and social avoidance,” she explained.

“This [dysmorphia] can create a negative cycle where the person is never satisfied with the appearance of their skin. This could result in excessive use of sunbed tanning, negative financial or social effects, and have a psychological impact of low self-esteem, depression, anxiety and issues with body image.”

An addiction

“I know [tanning] is bad for me but I do a lot of things that are bad for me. I’d rather live hot than die ugly,” Negus said.

Like gaming or gambling, an obsession with tanning could be an example of behavioural addiction. When tanned skin is inherently linked to self-confidence, tanning – and the associated boost in self-esteem – could become highly addictive.

“I think a tanning addiction could be a very real thing. There’s the influence on self-esteem and confidence, the approval of friends or compliments on social media, plus it’s been suggested that UV light has a physiological effect on mood,” MacKrill explained.

“This all plays on the reward circuits in our brain, creating the ‘feel-good’ endorphins that keep us coming back for more.”

There’s a reason you might feel happier after a day in the sun. UV light can stimulate the skin’s production of endorphins: “feel-good” chemicals that can relieve pain, reduce stress and improve your sense of wellbeing, Mackenzie explained.

Therefore, a person who consistently uses sunbeds might be addicted to the way they feel after UV exposure.

“Tanning addiction is interesting. Endorphins enhance your mood, much like other activities which stimulate endorphins.

“Exercise and laughing are much less risky.”

Like other addictions, the person might experience withdrawal or physical or psychological symptoms when they don’t have access to their compulsion – and tanning is no different.

“An obsessive-like relationship with tanning could impact work, relationships or other leisure activities. People could experience low self-esteem, anxiety or depression when the tan starts to fade,” MacKrill said.

“People might feel unable to stop even when they really want to.”

What are the myths around sunbeds?

Unfortunately, a raft of misinformation around tanning may be fuelling sunbed use – includingpurported “benefits” to UV exposure.

In her “tanning routine” video, aforementioned influencer Emily Lula May claimed sunbeds helped not only her acne, but her seasonal affective disorder (SAD): a form of depression related to the changing of seasons.

The Herald put some of the most common misconceptions to the experts. t

Sunbeds can treat SAD: According to Mackenzie, a review of research indicates there is “low-level evidence” visible white or infrared light may treat SAD. However, this absorption works via the eyes, not the skin.

“These light spectrums are lower energy and do not include UV radiation, as found mainly in sunbeds.”

A “base tan” reduces risk of sunburn: “Tanning is your skin’s way of protecting cellular DNA from mutations caused by the sun. Therefore if you are tanned, you have sustained enough UV radiation to possibly harm your skin cells. Having a tan also does not prevent you from sunburn,” Mackenzie said.

Tanning boosts vitamin D: “Sunbeds emit predominantly UVA radiation, which does not contribute to vitamin D production,” Ip said.

Mackenzie added: “Vitamin D is made in the skin following UVB exposure, not UVA as found predominantly in sunbeds.”

UV light can treat skin conditions: While one 2015 study suggested UV therapy may benefit some patients with dermatological disease, in the vast majority of cases, dermatologists will never recommend sunbeds for skin conditions.

“UV light is used to treat some skin conditions, however, this is done under strict conditions with specialised bulbs and dosing schedules to minimise harm to the patient and their skin,” Mackenzie explained.

Some skin types are “better suited” to sunbeds: “That is a myth,” said Mackenzie.

Ip elaborated: “Even if you don’t burn, you are still receiving the same amount of damaging UV radiation each time you use a sunbed.”

There’s nothing wrong with wanting a tan: but a spray tan or self-tanner are significantly safer than deliberate and repeated exposure to UV radiation.

Ultimately, and as cliched as it sounds, we should learn to love the skin we’re in – even if that skin is Casper white.

“Check in with yourself. Why has a tan become a focus?” MacKrill said.

“I think we need to remind ourselves of sayings like, ‘be comfortable in your own skin’.”

Lana Andelane is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist. She was previously lifestyle editor at Newshub, where she began her career as a news producer. She enjoys writing about music, pop culture, fashion and beauty.