Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has sparked controversy by withdrawing a proposed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule that would have banned minors from using indoor tanning beds. The decision, announced in March, reverses a decade-long effort to protect young people from the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Federal Rule Withdrawn
The FDA rule, first proposed in 2015, would have required anyone over 18 to sign a waiver acknowledging the risks of tanning, including skin cancer, severe burns, and premature skin aging. Nearly a dozen states—including California, Illinois, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C.—already ban tanning beds for minors, while others like Kentucky, Idaho, Indiana, and Michigan require parental consent.
Dermatologists have expressed deep disappointment. Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, called the decision "deeply disappointing and frankly dangerous." He noted, "This rule took many years to get traction, and now it's been pulled. That's not deregulation, that's a step backwards for children's health."
Health Risks of Tanning Beds
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. Tanning beds emit up to 15 times more concentrated UV radiation than the midday sun, directly damaging skin cell DNA and triggering mutations that can lead to cancer. The World Health Organization classifies UV radiation as a carcinogen in the same category as tobacco and asbestos.
Dr. Danilo C. Del Campo, a dermatologist at Chicago Skin Clinic, emphasized the timing: "Walking that protection back at the federal level sends a confusing message, especially right now when melanoma is one of the most common cancers we see diagnosed in young adults aged 15 to 29." A 2025 study found that melanoma rates among tanning salon users were more than double those who did not use them (5% vs. 2%). Using tanning beds before age 20 increases melanoma risk by nearly 50%.
Kennedy's Stance on Sun Exposure
The FDA's notice, signed by Kennedy, stated that the withdrawal "does not mean that exposure to UV radiation does not cause skin cancer." However, Kennedy—who has been seen frequenting tanning salons—has previously criticized the government's "aggressive suppression of sunshine." His Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement promotes building a "solar callus" through gradual sun exposure instead of using sunscreen.
On TikTok, MAHA advocates spread conspiracy theories that sunscreen causes cancer and is a ploy by pharmaceutical companies. A 2025 survey by the American Academy of Dermatology found that nearly 60% of Gen Zers believe tanning myths, such as that a base tan prevents sunburn or builds "sun tolerance."
Dermatologists Debunk 'Solar Callus' Theory
Dr. Rossi explained that a tan is not protection but evidence of damage. "Your skin tanned because DNA injury already occurred. The melanin response is reactive, not preventive. An SPF equivalent of a deep tan is roughly SPF 3-4, which will not protect from another burn." Tanning beds primarily emit UVA rays, which penetrate deeper into the skin and directly damage DNA in the dermal layers where melanomas originate.
Dr. Del Campo added, "There is a small kernel of physiologic truth here that is being stretched into something it is not. Yes, repeated UV exposure causes more melanin, and that pigmentation offers a tiny amount of protection. But a tan is your skin telling you it has been injured. It is a damage response, not a shield."
Rossi compares lying in a tanning bed to sitting outside at the equator at high noon. He advises, "You can be outside, enjoy the sun, wear sunscreen, be exposed to vitamin D, and live your life. That's healthy. What is not healthy is manufacturing UV exposure through a machine that delivers it at 15 times the intensity of the sun, calling it wellness, and giving that access to teenagers."
