La Roche-Posay is fighting back against dangerous sun care habits that are gaining traction on social media.
The L’Oréal-owned beauty brand is leveraging its expertise in dermatology with a new campaign addressing the viral TikTok challenge where people show off their burn lines from tanning.
The trend, known as ‘burn lines’ or ‘sunburn tattoos’, has seen teenagers and young adults place tape or stencils on their skin and then show off the resulting sun burn patterns.
La Roche-Posay is warning the public about the trend with a social media campaign using #DermsAgainstBurns.
The brand, known for its skin care and sun care products such as the Anthelios sunscreen, is working with dermatologists and health organisations to promote the importance of sun safe habits.
“As a global leader in sun protection and skin cancer prevention, La Roche-Posay is worried about the long-term consequences of the ‘burn lines’ challenge and aims at warning the public of how dangerous this practice can be, alongside health professionals,” the brand said in a statement.
A post on La Roche-Posay’s official Instagram account includes a video featuring a woman who spent years in the sun without appropriate protection.
In the clip she shares her regret after being diagnosed with skin cancer in multiple locations on her body, followed by a number of dermatologists explaining the risks.
A group of leading dermatologists supporting the campaign said: "As dermatologists, we are deeply concerned by the 'burn lines' trends on social media.
“Such practices are not only reckless but directly contribute to irreparable skin damage, DNA damage and premature ageing, and significantly increase the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma, one of the fastest-rising and deadliest cancers among young generations."
The group of experts includes Professor Thierry Passeron, Chair of the Dermatology Department at Nice University Hospital; and Professor Henry W. Lim, a former Chair of Dermatology at Henry Ford Health and President of ILDS (The International League of Dermatological Societies).
As well as Professor Jorge Ocampo Candiani, former President of the Mexican Society of Dermatological Surgery and incoming President of the World Congress of Dermatology 2027; and Professor Sergio Schalka, Chair of the Latin American Alliance for Photoprotection.
Véronique Del Marmol, President of Euromelanoma, a pan-European skin cancer prevention resource center, warned: “Just one blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles the risk of skin cancer in adulthood."
An estimated 57% of teenagers still associate tanning with attractiveness, she added.
Jennifer Austin, CEO of GlobalSkin, an international not-for-profit organisation helping improve the lives of people living with skin conditions, said: “The 'burn lines' trends are a stark reminder of the misinformation prevalent online and the urgent need for clear, accessible and compassionate public education.”
The trend comes amid growing concerns in the cosmetics and health industries around disinformation online related to sunscreen products.
Influencer and The Only Way is Essex star Sam Faiers last week provoked a backlash after claiming that sunscreen contains toxic ingredients.
The co-founder of supplement brand Revive Collagen said that her family does not wear sunscreen and claimed that her children have built up a “tolerance” of the sun.
A leading expert in sunscreen education campaigns told delegates at this year’s Sun Protection Conference, which took place in June, that consumer confidence in sunscreen is at an all time low.
“I do not think we are at a lower point now in consumer confidence in sunscreen like we are today,” said Adjunct Associate Professor Craig Sinclair, who is also Head of the Prevention Division at the Cancer Council Victoria, in Melbourne, Australia.
“The data shows that public trust in sunscreen is trending downwards.”
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