Dr. Dustin Mullens of Affiliated Dermatology warns about the potential dangers of the viral sunburn tattoo trend with 3TV’s Arizona’s Family. While most Phoenicians are looking to cool off in a pool during the sweltering summer, there are some people taking part in a trend that dermatologists say is a really bad idea.
It’s called the sunburn tattoo. People put stickers or stencils on their skin and sit in the sun until that shape is sunburned on their body.
VIDEO: Dermatologists warn about the dangers of viral sunburn tattoo trend
Dustin Mullens from Affiliated Dermatology said this is a new iteration of an old idea that people were doing back in the ’80s with tanning beds. The only difference, he said, was that the trend has just moved outside.
He said the long term risk for the short term gain is nothing to take lightly. Mullins warned that anytime you get a sunburn, you increase your risk of skin cancer.
The same goes for tanning.
Anytime the sun changes the color of your skin, it means your skin is getting ultraviolet radiation.
This makes your skin age faster, adds wrinkles, sun spots and decreases collagen.