‘Hot Girl Summer?’ Health Experts Warn to Steer Clear of This Dangerous TikTok Beer Trend

A sunset in Newport Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

For a trip to the beach, it seems like applying the usual coat of sunscreen would be a no-brainer. In a recent TikTok Beer trend, participants are skipping their dose of SPF and dousing themselves in beer prior to getting their tan on to obtain the highly coveted “bronzed summer bod.” According to The Herald, health experts have warned about the risks.

“… if you were to replace using sunscreen for a can of holiday beer, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to the sun’s exposure with no protection. Doing this can leave you at an increased risk of sunburn, heatstroke or even sun poisoning in severe cases. Not only this but coating your skin in beer will leave you feeling sticky at increased risk of being stung by insects such as bees and wasps,” said Jason Goldberg, director at SpaSeekers.com, in a warning to individuals considering participating in the TikTok Beer Trend.

Yet, despite the warning and the health risks that include wasp stings, sunburn, heatstroke and — of course — cancer, beer tans continue to rise in popularity as TikTok creators continue to tout the trend as a “life hack.” According to the Huffington Post, searches for “beer tan,” online have risen by 137% over the last three months.

https://www.tiktok.com/@beautyblira_/video/7123911847153028358?embed_source=121352282%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_masking&refer=embed&referer_url=metro.co.uk%2F2023%2F06%2F22%2Fscientists-warning-over-tiktok-beer-tanning-trend-18990328%2F&referer_video_id=7123911847153028358

“There is a science behind why beer can help us to achieve a perfect tan, with the hops in beer activating melanin – the substance in our bodies which is responsible for making our skin darker,” Goldberg said, which may explain why beer tanning is even trending in the first place.

According to the NHS, there is “no safe or healthy way to get a tan” and advises people to stay out of the sun when it reaches its peak UV index between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. New statistics that were published by the Oncology Nursing Society in June 2019 stated that just five or more sunburns puts a person at risk for melanoma.

For those looking to get that bronzed glow safely, The Skin Cancer Foundation suggests going the risk-free route with spray tanners and saving your bottle of beer for drinking.

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