Viral Tanning Trend 'Tanmaxxing' Raises Skin Cancer Risk, Experts Warn
Dermatologists say the TikTok trend of intentionally maximizing sun exposure for darker tans accelerates skin damage and increases lifetime cancer risk.
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A viral trend encouraging people to intentionally chase high UV exposure for the darkest possible tan is raising alarms among skin-cancer specialists.
"Tanmaxxing" and "UV chasing" — terms for seeking the highest UV levels at peak sun times — have become popular on social media, particularly among Gen Z seeking the darkest tan possible. Dr. Cheryl Rosen, head of dermatology at UHN, explained the appeal and the danger.
"This is a new trend to get very dark, not use sunscreen, and even use the UV index to find the time of day where the UV is the greatest and use that time to tan," Rosen said.
Experts stress that any tan is a sign of skin damage. "Your skin is trying to protect you by increasing melanin production, and that is one way that the skin can help itself from being damaged further," Rosen said. "Ultraviolet radiation is able to damage DNA, damage proteins in the skin, and ultimately can lead to skin cancer."
Beyond cancer risk, chronic sun exposure leads to photoaging — wrinkles and premature aging visible across a person's face compared to less-exposed areas like the abdomen. While a tan fades, photo aging is permanent.
UHN estimates 11,300 people in Canada will be diagnosed with skin cancer in 2026. Dr. Marcus Butler, site lead for melanoma at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, notes that many melanoma patients in their 50s and 60s regret sunburns from their youth. The best prevention, experts say, is avoiding intentional sun exposure and monitoring your skin for changing moles.
