Hold up—is tanning making a comeback? Robert F. Kennedy, the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and leader of the Make America Healthy Again movement, was recently spotted leaving a Washington, D.C. tanning salon Palm Beach Tan. A representative pleaded the fifth, however, on whether Kennedy was there for a spray tan, 20 minutes in the bed with deep dark intensifyer, or on official government business. And a new form of blush, which mimics a sunburn across the nose, is trending, while the models at Chloé’s SS25 show were sporting tan lines. That’s all on top of the SPF skepticism era we’re currently living in: influencers are touting homemade sun protection that has no scientific backing, and skin cancer—an incredibly preventable cancer when preventative measures are taken—has become endemic. Truly, what gives?
Board-certified dermatologist Anetta Reszko, MD, gets it. “I grew up during a time when tanning was completely normalized and, in many ways, encouraged,” she confesses to Vogue. “I didn’t fully understand the long-term consequences of UV exposure until later in my medical training.” For those who are full-blown MAHA, the fact that almost half of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” may have something to do with it, too.
“There’s also a growing appreciation for the psychological and biological benefits of sun exposure—from mood elevation and circadian rhythm support to vitamin D synthesis,” Dr. Resko adds. “This all influences everything from immune resilience to metabolic health. In that context, sunlight is being reframed as an essential, healing force—part of a broader ‘back to basics’ wellness trend.”
It’s not about being anti-sun, it’s about being anti-skin cancer. So safety is key—and in fact, there are ways to tan safely. “The risk of tanning is not equal among everyone,” Manhattan-based board-certified dermatologist Elyse M. Love, MD, says. “When it comes to skin cancer, the most important thing is to avoid burning. The second most important thing is to decrease cumulative sun exposure.” Dr. Resko agrees. “You can enjoy the sun and protect your skin. Healthy skin isn’t about extremes—it’s about consistency and informed choices.”
With that in mind, clearly the duo of doctors avoid a few things—and sorry, there’s no room for SPF-skepticism here. If you’re not comfortable with chemical sun protection, mineral is the way to go—just use something to protect your skin. There’s also Ultraviolet Protection Factor, or UPF clothing, which is specially woven to block the sun’s rays, as well as a good old trusty hat or beach umbrella—you have options.
And with beauty trends being cyclical—hold on, let me do some very basic math—time would show that we’re due for a return of a bronze trend. It’s even infiltrated my Dita Von Teese-obsessed mind. Just last week, I stripped to my skivvies for a deluxe spray tan with celebrity self-tanner Sophie Evans…my second faux glow ever. “The 2010s were all about a natural, healthy glow,” she said as she sprayed on a custom-to-me concoction of St. Tropez Self-Tanner. “But recently, everybody wants to go dark again. Dark tans like in the early 2000s.” And for our session, I wanted to take advantage of her expertise, so we went dark. So much so that five people in the office noticed the next day. Feeling no fear from the sun exposure that would usually have gone hand-in-hand with that level of a tan, it felt like a brag to say: “Thanks, it’s a spray tan.”
Naturally, when it comes to tanning, science still says that faux is the safest way to go. “The damage from repeated sun burns is delayed—think 10 years delayed—while the effects of a tan are almost immediate,” says Dr. Love. “Most people in retrospect do not find the short-term tan worth the long-term sun damage and increased risk of skin cancer, but unfortunately, they can’t go back in time 10 to 20 years to speak to their younger self.”
