‘Glorifying’: Aussie slams ‘fashion trend’

A woman has slammed the a popular trend that has been glamorising an incredibly dangerous act after losing her dad to cancer.

A woman has slammed a popular trend that has been glamorising an incredibly dangerous act after losing her dad to cancer.

Social media is filled with young women boasting about tan lines that they got from spending hours in the sun or grabbing a bottle of fake tan.

One talked about finding the “perfect bikini” in order to get the best tan lines, saying it was best to get a top that didn’t move. Others talked about what products or applications they used to boost melanin or track the sun’s UV index.

Some clips showed young women posing in strapless outfits that exposed their tan lines. Others showed how they used fake tan to get the look rather than stepping out into the sun.

The trend has prompted concern from some, including public relations manager and content creator Belle Bower.

Ms Bower took aim at young Australians who knew the risk when it came to tanning in the sun but did it anyway in a clip that has had racked more than 1.6 million views.

Women are posing with their tan lines on TikTok. Picture: TikTok

“Losing my dad to melanoma ignited a deep passion in me to advocate for wearing SPF and annual skin checks — especially when skin cancer is one of the most preventable and common cancers among young Australians,” Ms Bower told news.com.au.

She said over the last two years she noticed a “troubling shift” on social media. She said there was a resurgence of young Australian women “glorifying sun tanning”.

“Bikini tan lines have once again become a point of pride, with girls as young as 12 obsessing over the,” she said.

“This sparked my need for conversation, walking through the shopping centre last week, I counted countless young girls with sun burnt chests showing off their tan lines.”

She said it doesn’t take much time on social media to see Australian influencers showing off their sunburns and tan lines. Ms Bower added that its often followed up with content or discussion that they wear SPF.

The content creator said the reality is a “healthy tan” doesn’t exist and that sun exposure causes irreparable harm to skin sells.

“As someone with a background in beauty marketing, I understand how much vanity influences behaviour, especially in young women,” she said.

“If the life-and-death message about skin cancer isn’t cutting through, we need to shift the narrative. We need new sun safety campaigns that show how the sun visibly ages skin, the brutal surgeries and treatments cancer patients endure, and the physical deformities it can cause.

“Sometimes, fear of wrinkles speaks louder than fear of cancer — it’s time we reshape the narrative and make sun safety cool.”

Belle Bower slammed the trend. Picture: TikTok

Since Ms Bower’s video went viral she’s seen comments on influencer’s videos asking them to take accountability. Skin cancer survivors have also echoed her message. It’s a step in the right direction — but it’s nowhere near far enough.

“The reaction to this video is unsurprisingly polarising, the misinformation in the comments is the exact reason we need to be having conversations about tanning culture in Australia,” she said.

Mark Nevin, the CEO of Cancer Council Australia, said Australia said fake ran, real sunburn or real tan lines contribute to harmful attitudes.

“Research shows almost one in three young Australians believe it’s fine to suntan at their age, and alarmingly, fewer than one in 10 are using consistently all five forms of sun protection. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, but fortunately skin cancer is almost entirely preventable” he said.

Some shared their tips on how to get the perfect tan. Picture: TikTok

Others shared their tanning products. Picture: TikTok

He said Aussies need to Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, and Slide whenever the UV is at three or above. Mr Nevin also explained Australians also understand the risks of not being sun safe. He added the biggest barrier for those 18 to 30 is the cultural forces. It meant Cancer Council needed to be “unrelenting in its message”.

“Fortunately, we know that sun protective behaviours increase during advertising campaigns aimed at preventing skin cancer. That’s why Cancer Council Australia and the Australian Government are partnering on an innovative National Skin Cancer Prevention Campaign to target young Australians – End the Trend,” he said.

“This campaign harnesses Gen Z culture and the power of influencers, fashion and lifestyle media to challenge young Australians’ dangerous attitudes and behaviours towards suntanning and encourages them to use all five forms of sun protection when the UV is three or above.”

He said the 2023/2024 campaign had a positive impact.

Originally published as ‘Glorifying’: Aussie slams ‘fashion trend’