For decades, science has warned us about the dangers of ultraviolet radiation. In 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified both UV radiation and indoor tanning devices as Group 1 carcinogens, the same category as tobacco smoke. Yet millions of people continue to tan every year.

In this episode of Burnt Truths, we explore why.

Through the powerful stories of melanoma survivors Leah Adams and Dawn Stringer (Mrs. Texas International), we examine how beauty standards, tanning culture, and the illusion of invincibility continue to shape our relationship with the sun.

In this episode:

•  Why tanning beds are classified as Group 1 carcinogens 
•  The parallels between the tanning and tobacco industries 
•  Leah and Dawn's melanoma journeys 
•  How beauty standards normalize tanning 
•  Why changing tanning culture is about more than simply knowing the risks 

Because when the tan fades, what's left behind?

This is Burnt Truths: Uncovering the shady side of getting sun-kissed.

Sources & Further Reading

• Ultraviolet Tide Podcast — Ep. 62 Growing Up Tanned: Using My Melanoma Story as a Cautionary Tale with Dawn Stringer
• NIH — The potential carcinogenic risk of tanning beds: clinical guidelines and patient safety advice
• Health Canada — Carcinogens in Tobacco Smoke
• BMJ Journals — The history of the discovery of the cigarette–lung cancer link
• Cancer Council NSW — A brief history of smoking
• American Lung Association — Overall Smoking Trends
• American Academy of Dermatology — Indoor tanning stats