On Tiktok, a disturbing tendency pushes adolescent girls to “voluntarily expose sunburn to display tanning marks called”Burn lines “. The phenomenon alarm health professionals, who denounce a deliberate endangerment. “”Even a “light” sunburn damages the skin irreversibly“, warns Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of True Medical.
Burn for “sunbathing”: the dangerous return of the worship of the tanned complexion
While the prevention campaigns are multiplying every summer against the dangers of UV, a new viral trend on Tiktok is very opposite: it encourages young people, mostly girls, to expose themselves without any sun protection, at a time when the sun hits the strongest, for the sole purpose of provoking Burn linesvisible traces of sunburn. Worse, some users apply self -tanning oil beforehand, thus intensifying the burning effect.
These videos, shared in the form of tutorials or “routines”, multiply on the platform. We see young people congratulate themselves on their red marks, describing them as “pending tan”. A challenge that is not without consequences and that associations of victims of burns, such as the Foundation of Brusters in Belgium, are beginning to denounce firmly. “”Burns are not an art form, but serious injuries to life consequences“, Warns its managing director, Stefaan Lauwaert.
A tendency to endanger
THE Burn lines (or “burning lines” in French) are the result of voluntary solar burns created by unprotected exposure to very high UVs, sometimes accentuated by fatty substances such as self -tanning oils. Where many seek to avoid tanning marks or protect yourself from the sun, this trend advocates the opposite: obtain visible demarcations on the body as an alleged form of aesthetics.
This phenomenon, which is part of a dynamic of virality where pain becomes a badge of popularity, sometimes goes even further. Some videos show adolescent girls using hair dryers or even lighters to artificially create these brands. A dangerous gear, motivated by the search for visibility on social networks.
Serious medical consequences, even invisible at the start
Asked about the effects of these voluntary burns, Dr Gérald Kierzek, an emergency doctor, is formal: “Even a “light” sunburn damages the skin irreversibly.“It alerts in particular on immediate risks – redness, blisters, pain, infections – but especially on long -term dangers:”accelerated aging, alteration of skin DNA, and above all increased risk of skin cancer“.
The link between repeated solar exhibitions and cancer is now well established. According to medical data, five severe sunburns before the age of 20 years double the risk of melanoma, the most aggressive of skin cancers.
The illusion of “controlled” tanning and false beliefs reinforced by Tiktok
Why does this trend seduce so much? Dr. Kierzek evokes a toxic cocktail: disinformation, trivialization of danger by viral videos, and a still tenacious myth according to which “A tanned complexion would be synonymous with beauty, health or even social success“. A myth deeply rooted in 15-25 year olds, who wrongly think that a progressive tan protects the skin.
In addition, the use of self -tanning oils without UV filter is particularly problematic. Some of these oils amplify the effects of UVs, promoting deep burns while giving users a false feeling of protection.
A phenomenon to be supervised by emergency
Faced with the explosion of this trend, health professionals and associations call for increased vigilance and better education in the danger of UV. “”We must take this behavior seriously and supervise young people before it degenerates“, insists Stefaan Lauwaert. Because on Tiktok, the quest for visibility has no limits – not even that of health.
To remember:
- A single sunburn can cause irreversible skin lesions.
- Five sunburns before 20 years double the risk of melanoma.
- Voluntary burns are neither trend nor aesthetic, they are injuries.