Young Greek Australians speak out about new TikTok sun tanning trend

·

A rising trend of sun tanning among teenagers is raising alarms about long-term skin cancer risks, with experts warning that sun exposure in the first 15 years of life plays a crucial role in determining future skin cancer risk.

Social media platforms like TikTok have fuelled the trend, with young people, particularly girls, posting videos of themselves sunbathing without sunscreen, often on days with high UV ratings.

Teenager Mya Nicolitsi, 14, told The Advertiser she tans regularly, typically two to three times a week in summer.

“Everyone wants tan skin,” she explained, adding that while she checks the UV index and uses sunscreen, she’s aware of the potential risks. “I do worry about it even though it seems like I don’t.”

In contrast, Adelaide twins Jacqui and Victoria Hondrou, who have fair skin, have turned to self-tanning products instead of sunbathing. The pair, who launched their own self-tanning brand, are encouraging young women to seek safer alternatives to sun tanning.

“We’ve been seeing a lot of Tik Toks of young girls sort of (wanting) the tan lines, and loving that the UV is over a certain number, so they can get the tan lines from the sun so we come up with creative ways of how to have an alternative to get them, but not using the dangerous sun,” Victoria told The Advertiser.

“There is definitely a better way of doing it, and you can achieve that using self tan, and it takes quicker than you can get it from the sun.”

This comes as data from the Cancer Council shows that one in five Australians aged 15-24 tried to get a suntan in the past year. This age group is also less likely to use proper sun protection compared to older Australians, and young women are more likely to seek a tan than men.

Cancer Council SA’s Diem Tran cautioned that the desire for a suntan is “something to certainly avoid,” as any change in skin colour signals damage, including DNA damage.

“Melanoma is the most common cancer in young people aged 15 to 39,” she said, urging young people to take the risks seriously. She also recommended South Australians “slip, slop, seek and slide” when the UV index is three or above.

Source: The Advertiser

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

‘Una Faccia, Una Razza’: The politics of memory and the power of saying ‘OXI’

The annual homage to “OHI” Day stems from Greece's Prime Minister Metaxas firmly stating “OHI” (NO) to Mussolini's request.

The Master Miller and the art of olive oil perfection

The Master Miller’s mission has its roots in a philosophy that begins at the olive tree and reaches the heart of those who seek quality.

Brain regain: For the first time in 14 years, more people return to Greece than leave

For the first time in over a decade, Greece is witnessing a positive migration balance as more Greeks return home than emigrate.

When everyday Greeks said OXI: Resistance and survival during World War Two

“Aera!” (Air!) roared Greek soldiers as they clawed over jagged rocks on the brutal Pindus Mountains during Italy’s 1940 invasion.

Botanical Park of Crete: Rooted in fire, inspiring hope

The October 2003 fire started with electrical cables in a village near the Marinakis family’s olive groves.

You May Also Like

Effy Alexakis ‘Forty Photographs: A Year at a Time’ book to launch in Greece

The Australian Embassy in Athens will host Effy Alexakis and esteemed guests to speak on the 'Forty Photographs – A Year at a Time' book.

Greek PM and US Secretary of State discuss latest developments in Ukraine and the East Med

Greece's Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, discussed Ukraine and the East Med on Monday.

This is how Australia and Greece reacted to concerns linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine

Australian health authorities have advised the Pfizer vaccine should be given to Australians aged under 50, amid concerns of rare blood clots.