Hop onto TikTok and you’ll find lots of videos of young people — mostly women — fake baking under the glowing UV lights of a tanning bed. Seattle dermatologist Heather Rogers says this is an alarming trend that comes after years of decline in indoor tanning in the U.S.

She points to a 2025 survey from the American Academy of Dermatology which found 20% of Gen Z respondents prioritize getting a tan over protecting their skin. And 25% say it’s worth looking great now even if it means looking worse later.

They feel like “it’s better to be tan than it is to worry about skin cancer,” Rogers says.