A 54-year-old mother who has battled skin cancer three times is urging young people to think twice before following the viral "tanmaxxing" trend on TikTok, which encourages users to maximize sun exposure to get a darker tan. Liz Benditt, a skin cancer survivor, has spoken publicly about the lasting physical and emotional toll of her diagnoses, warning that the cosmetic appeal of tanning is not worth the lifelong health risks gained from exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Her message comes as dermatologists and public health experts raise concerns over the growing popularity of tanmaxxing on social media. Many videos promote prolonged sun exposure as a way to achieve an ideal appearance, while experts caution that there is no such thing as a "safe tan" from UV radiation. Every tan represents skin damage, and repeated exposure can significantly increase the risk of developing skin cancer later in life.
