Sunburns, Tanning, and Social Media: A Descriptive Study Among Spanish University Students

A positive attitude toward tanning has been associated with an increased risk of sunburn, which has been linked to an increased likelihood of developing skin cancer. The media have always played an important role in setting beauty standards in society. Nowadays, social media are widely used among younger generations, with the risk of promoting a preference for tanning.

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted to examine sun exposure habits, sun protection practices, knowledge and attitudes related to sun exposure, frequency of sunburns, social media use, and visualization of messages on these platforms about sun exposure risks and tanning among Spanish university students, using the validated CHACES questionnaire.

Overall, 86.7% of the sample (n = 691), consisting of university students, 73.3% of whom were female, with a mean age of 20.1 years, reported at least 1 sunburn in the previous year. A total of 75.2% and 83.1% of the sample reported having read information on social media about sun exposure risks and tanning, respectively. Photoprotection practices were deficient, with sunscreen being the most commonly used method, especially among women. Significant differences were observed in attitudes toward tanning, with women showing a greater preference for tanning than men. Being a woman and reading messages about tanning on social media were associated with a higher preference for tanned skin, increasing the risk of sunburn.

The high rate of sunburn among young people shows the magnitude of skin cancer risk and the need for effective strategies aimed at reducing the preference for tanning and sun exposure time, while improving photoprotection measures in this target population.