Dangerous sunburn tattoo trend goes viral as people ditch sun cream to create red shapes on their bodies
PEOPLE have been ditching sun cream to create red "tattoo" shapes on their bodies in a dangerous trend which has been sweeping the internet.
The worrying idea is to avoid applying lotion to a particular area of skin in that hope that it will burn and reveal a particular pattern or image.
Some people have shown off "designs" such as batman symbols, stars and even a medal, on social media.
But experts warn that sitting out in the sun without the appropriate protection could not only cause life-long damage, but could also double the risk of skin cancer.
Dermatologist Dr Whitney Bowe said she has had patients in her clinic enquiring about sunburn tattoos and whether there is a safe way to achieve the lines.
But she blasted the notion, telling : "There is no safe way to get a sunburn tattoo. That is major misconception. There is no such thing as a safe tan.
"A lot of these sunburn tattoos are being done by kids. When you have young skin like that, it is especially vulnerable to ultraviolet rays. You are more likely to see signs of ageing.
"I can't think of another word but ironic,' she said about the people participating in the dangerous trend. 'It just screams ignorance. They really don't fear skin cancer."
Dr Bowe explained there are two types of sunlight rays that damage the skin - UVA and UVB - and it's exposure to these that can cause lasting damage on the skin layers.
She added that just one bad sunburn can double your risk of melanoma later in life.
Dr Bowe warned that everyone, especially young children and teenagers, should avoid any skin trends that involve forming tan or sunburn lines.
Instead, slather on the sunscreen - and make sure it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
SPF, or sun protection factor, only measures and blocks UVB rays - the ones that make your skin burn.
UVA rays are actually the most damaging rays from the sun and they're around all year long - sun or no sun.
They penetrate the skin more deeply than UVB and therefore are the main reason skin ages and gets wrinkly, as well as causing cancer.
Suncreams carry UVA stars on their labels, usually ranging from one to four and the protection varies wildly.
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A three-star rating offers between 60-79 per cent protection from UVA, while four stars offers up to 80-89 per cent.
Five-star products can promise up to 100 per cent protection.
If you can't see stars, look out for the word "broad-spectrum suncream" or UVA/UVB protection - but just be aware that unless products carry star ratings, you won't know how much protection a product offers.
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