What started as a viral summer “hack” has turned into a global controversy, and all eyes are now on one TikTok creator whose trending video launched a health scare being slammed by dermatologists and cancer survivors alike.
The trend, dubbed the “tan lines tattoo challenge,” involves placing shaped stencils on the skin and sunbathing until sharply defined tan outlines form — mimicking the look of real tattoos without ink. The now-infamous video that kicked it off was posted by influencer Hailey Lynn (@sunskindoll), who showed herself peeling off butterfly stencils to reveal dramatic pale skin impressions against a dark tan.
Hailey Lynn’s ‘tattoo’ tan video has 40 million views. But doctors are calling it “reckless and dangerous.” #TanTattooTrend— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 4, 2025
Lynn’s clip, captioned “No pain, no ink, just the sun 
“This is UV self-harm disguised as a beauty trend,” said Dr. Andrea Grayson, a board-certified dermatologist, in a CNN interview. “You’re baking your skin to the point of trauma to achieve a short-term aesthetic. The risk for long-term DNA damage is very real.”
“This TikTok trend is essentially skin branding with UV light. It’s dangerous and irreversible.” — Dr. Grayson #DermAlert— CNN Health (@cnnhealth) June 4, 2025
But the backlash exploded after a stitched video response by melanoma survivor @cancersucksjen went viral. Fighting tears, she warned viewers, “This is exactly how I got cancer — I laid in the sun with stickers on my skin for a ‘cute’ look. Now I live with the scars.”
The hashtag #SkinIsIn was quickly launched in response, promoting sun safety and body positivity. It has already amassed over 90 million views.
TikTok influencer glamorized a dangerous tanning practice — now survivors are speaking out with receipts. #SkinIsIn— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) June 4, 2025
As the uproar intensified, Hailey Lynn turned off comments on her videos and deleted her Instagram account entirely. But before disappearing, she posted one final story claiming, “I never told anyone to tan excessively. I just shared something that worked for me. The hate is disgusting.”
However, a deeper dive into her content reveals repeated posts encouraging sun exposure as a beauty practice — including one captioned, “Skip sunscreen for bolder results 
“Skip sunscreen for better tan lines” is literal health sabotage. TikTok needs to enforce better rules. #TikTokBanTanTrend— American Academy of Dermatology (@AADskin) June 4, 2025
Dermatologists aren’t the only ones alarmed. Teachers, school counselors, and even pediatricians are raising concerns as more middle school students mimic the trend. “We’re seeing literal burns in nurse’s offices,” said one health teacher in a now-viral TikTok stitch. “This isn’t fashion. It’s injury.”
Public pressure has mounted against both Lynn and the platform. A petition to ban tan-line content on TikTok has crossed 300,000 signatures. Celebrities like Demi Lovato and Billie Eilish have shared it on their stories, with Eilish writing: “Influencers are NOT dermatologists. This needs to stop.”
Billie Eilish: “This is how we glamorize cancer and call it cute.” Re: tan tattoo TikTok trend. #TanTattooTruth— Pop Base (@PopBase) June 4, 2025
TikTok has since responded with an updated statement to The Verge, stating that it “does not allow content that promotes harmful tanning practices” and confirming that the platform has begun removing tan-line challenge videos under its medical misinformation policy.
Still, many are asking why it took a full-blown public outcry for action to be taken.
Meanwhile, dermatology clinics in major cities like Los Angeles and Miami are reporting spikes in walk-ins from teens with burns or uneven pigmentation caused by attempting the trend. “We’re treating 14-year-olds for damage that could follow them for decades,” said Dr. Nilah Sharma in an interview with TODAY Health.
“I’ve already seen two minor patients with scarring from this tan trend,” said Dr. Sharma. “It’s alarming.” #DermEmergency— TODAY Health (@TodayShowHealth) June 4, 2025
As the dust settles, what remains is a hard lesson in the cost of virality — and the responsibility influencers carry when their posts reach millions. Hailey Lynn has not posted since the incident, and her name remains a trending topic across platforms.
For now, the message is loud and clear: your skin isn’t a canvas for clout — and the sun isn’t a toy.
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