Sunburn tattoos: the worrying trend that’s sweeping Instagram

We don’t recommend you try the latest viral body art craze at home
Sunburn tattoos: Instagram users show off their designs (Picture: L-R Instagram @noticias24ven, @vamphearts, @killing_zoe
Liz Connor7 July 2015

Most of us know by now that lengthy exposure to the sun is potentially damaging to our to our health - and with the heatwave set to return next week, we should be applying sun cream to our skin religiously.

However, the hot weather health warnings haven’t stopped some ardent sunbathers, who are creatively applying suncream to burn elaborate tattoo designs onto their body, as part of a dangerous new fad.

Seemingly kick-started over social media, the hashtag ‘SunburnTattoos’ is growing in popularity by day, with users taking to Twitter and Instagram to post their self-inflicted artworks. As well as tactfully placing their suncream, sunburn tattooists also applying transfer tattoos over their skin, using them as ready-made stencils for their designs.

Needless to say, dermatologists and skincare brands are speaking out against the trend, warning that sunburn art can significantly increase the risk of developing skin cancer and premature ageing of the skin.

Sunburn tattoos - in pictures

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Despite the backlash, the trend has received so much attention that the Skin Cancer Foundation has even released the organisation’s official position on sunburn art:

"The Skin Cancer Foundation strongly advises the public to avoid sunburns at all costs. A sunburn is not only painful – it’s dangerous, and comes with consequences.

Sunburns cause DNA damage to the skin, accelerate skin ageing, and increase your lifetime skin cancer risk. In fact, sustaining five or more sunburns in youth increases lifetime melanoma risk by 80%."

We suggest this is one hashtag you don’t get on board with during the hot spell.

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