Tanning products prompt warning from NSW Health Minister

The NSW Government and health experts have issued stark warnings against tanning products posted by influencers over the potentially increased risk of skin cancer.

The NSW Government has warned against potentially skin cancer-causing tanning products which are being posted by Australian social media influencers.

Tan accelerating products without SPF such as Carroten, The Fox Tan and Brunae Body claim to help users develop darker tans faster by intensifying the sun’s effects.

But NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has warned against these types of products, with ultraviolet light exposure from the sun contributing to almost all melanomas and non-melanoma skin cancers.

“The advice from our health experts is that there is no safe level of sun tanning and we caution against the use of tanning accelerators,” Mr Park said.

“This year alone, it is expected close to 5500 people in NSW will be diagnosed with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, with someone diagnosed with melanoma every 90 minutes.”

Ashton Wood promoted Carroten on her Instagram.

Approximately 460 people will die from melanoma in 2024.

Australians Ashton Wood, Christina Podolyan and Mikayla Menin, who have between 55,000 and 495,000 followers, are among multiple influencers who have either posted about Carroten on their channels, or appeared on Carroten’s page.

The brand’s “Intensive Tanning Gel” is said to offer “an exceptional, instant tanning result, thanks to a strong blend of tanning oils”.

Highly influential socialite Hailey Bieber and Ms Podolyan have both posted about using Carroten in conjunction with sunscreen for protection.

But the Melanoma Institute’s Professor Linda Martin said sunscreen alone could not fully mitigate the risk posed by hours in the sun using tan accelerating products.

“While sunscreen alleviates the damage, it is for UVB protection, and pigmentation is mostly caused by UVA,” Professor Martin said.

“We say to patients, when you’re tanning it’s like the skin cells are crying extra pigment to protect themselves – UV is a complete carcinogen.”

Australian influencer Christina Podolyan holding Carroten.

Australian influencer Mikayla Menin holding Carroten.

Representatives for Ms Wood, Ms Menin and Carroten did not respond to a request for comment.

The Fox Tan and Brunae Body were both contacted for comment.

Advice for use on Carroten’s products says users should “avoid exposure to the sun during midday hours (as) overexposure to the sun, even while using a sunscreen product, is a serious health threat”.

A representative for Ms Podolyan pointed to the bikini designer’s past promotion of a sunscreen brand and said she had “consistently advocated for sun safety and the importance of using sun protection”.

“There’s no such thing as a healthy tan,” Professor Martin said.

“All tanning is dangerous, melanoma is one in 14 for men and one in 18 for women – there is no safe way to do it.”

New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveal one in 10 Australians – or 9.4 per cent of those surveyed – had tried to get a suntan in the last 12 months.

Suntanning was highest among women aged 15 to 24, with one in four young women attempting suntanning in the past 12 months.

CANCER INSTITUTE ADVICE FOR SUN SAFETY

The Cancer Institute NSW encourages the community to protect their skin all year around, even on cool and cloudy days. People can take five simple actions to protect their skin:

Slip on protective clothing

Slop on SPF 50+ sunscreen 20 minutes before you go outside and reapply every two hours

Slap on a wide-brim hat that covers your face, ears and neck

Seek shade throughout the day

Slide on a pair of sunglasses.

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Originally published as Tanning products prompt warning from NSW Health Minister