No safe tan: Why Canada’s sunburn problem keeps getting worse

You can still get a sunburn even with sunscreen. It needs to be regularly re-applied and is best used in combination with other sun-protection elements such as clothing, shade and a hat. (Canva) No safe tan: Why Canada’s sunburn problem keeps getting worse Published: August 26, 2026 6.34pm EDT Share article Print article Scroll through social media and you will encounter a strange vocabulary for an old impulse: “tanmaxxing,” “UV chasing” and “SPF shunning.” In some corners of the internet, sunscreen is described as toxic, while a “natural” tan is portrayed as protective. As a dermatologist and skin-cancer researcher, and a medical student, we find the misinformation troubling. But after years studying Canadian sun behaviour, our team has concluded that correcting myths alone will not solve the problem. TikTok may have invented the term “tanmaxxing,” but it didn’t invent the desire to be tanned. Fighting biology and beauty standards Ultraviolet radiation stimulates beta-endorphin production in skin, engaging our endogenous opioid system. It feels good to be in the sun after a long winter, and most of us can relate to that. Experimental research suggests UV exposure can reinforce sun-seeking behaviour. Tanning also carries social rewards. In our focus-group research on beauty standards, participants described a “sun-kissed” appearance as healthy, attractive and even affluent. That makes it harder for public-health advice to persuade people to limit their sun exposure and avoid tanning. Cancer-prevention messages have to compete with the body’s response to sunlight, as well as the beauty standards and sense of belonging that can come with looking tanned. The sunscreen paradox In our recent national study published in JAMA Network Open, we analyzed more than 7,000 Canadian adolescents, representing 2.3 million youths. More than 40 per cent reported a sunburn last year. About 62 per cent rarely or never used body sunscreen, 73 per cent rarely or never wore a hat and 75 per cent rarely or never wore long clothing. Nor does the problem disappear at 18. In our adult national study, roughly one in three reported a sunburn in the previous year, while sunscreen use declined and time outdoors increased. But our adolescent data revealed an interesting point: groups reporting greater sunscreen use, including girls and higher-income adolescents, were also more likely to report sunburn. Sunscreen does not cause sunburn, melanoma or skin cancer. (Canva) We…