22-04-2025
Experts issue urgent warning over 'horrifying' tanning method after influencer's 'embarrassing' tip for bronzed glow leaves viewers in shock
While the warmer weather brings a sigh of relief after a long, cold winter, the thought of showing off pale arms and legs strikes fear in the hearts of many fair-skinned women.
While fake tan is a popular way of bringing some colour back to our pallor, some people appear to be turning to more drastic measures.
A TikTok influencer who goes by the handle Courtsinghamx recently caused a stir when she shared a video of herself spraying cooking oil on her legs while sitting in the sun.
The content creator spritzed Frylight golden sunflower oil on her thighs, with the caption: 'This is the function because I'm a British white girl.'
Her video, which gained more than 70,000 views on the app, attracted mixed reactions from viewers.
Some people condemned Courtsinghamx's actions, warning her against using cooking oil to try and tan her skin.
Using cooking oil, particularly olive oil, as a way to encourage tanning was a popular method in the 1970s and 1980s, as people believed they could achieve a deeper tan this way.
In 1976, tanning advice from Irish lifestyle and fashion magazine IMAGE even sang the praises of using olive oil mixed with tincture of iodine as a sun tan oil that 'never fails to work'.
But now, experts strongly advise against using any sort of cooking oil to encourage a tan and are 'horrified' that it's coming back into fashion.
It comes after Cancer Research UK warned of a record high in melanoma skin cancer cases in the UK last year.
Analysis from the cancer charity showed melanoma rates rose by almost a third between 2009 and 2019, adding that around 17,000 cases every year are preventable by avoiding ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and sunbeds.
Dr Sophie Momnen, consultant dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic, said using any cooking oils as a tanning aid is a 'horrifying' practice that is 'extremely dangerous and poses serious risks to skin health.
'Cooking oils are not formulated for skin application, especially under intense UV exposure,' she tells FEMAIL.
'In fact, spraying a substance like Frylight onto your skin while sunbathing can act like a magnifying glass, intensifying the sun's rays and increasing the risk of severe sunburn, heat damage and long-term cellular injury.'
Dr Ross Perry, medical director of Cosmedics skin clinics, adds that getting 'just one sunburn in your lifetime can potentially lead to skin cancer down the line'.
'The dangers of using cooking oil in the sun can be severe,' he warns.
'Getting badly sunburnt can lead to sunstroke, which in extreme cases may be fatal.
'Beyond the immediate effects, you're also damaging the skin's outer layer, which can result in pigmentation, sun spots, and premature ageing, such as fine lines and wrinkles.
'Over time, repeated sunburn can significantly increase the risk of developing skin cancer.'
Both Dr Momnen and Dr Perry urge the public to use at least SPF30 sunscreen when spending time in the sun, and to seek shade wherever possible.
SPF 50 is 'essential' for children and people with fairer skin. If a bronzed glow is what you're after, though, the only 'safe' way to get one is with fake tan as prolonged sun exposure without protection can be so dangerous.
'There is no such thing as a safe tan, I'm afraid,' Dr Perry says. 'I don't recommend sitting in direct sunlight for long periods.
'When on holiday, seek shade wherever possible, and cover up with protective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat and proper eye protection.
'It's also important to reapply SPF regularly throughout the day, ideally every few hours, especially if you're swimming or playing sport.'
Dr Momnen adds: 'I urge everyone to prioritise sun safety: always use a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen, seek shade during peak hours (11am-3pm) and avoid unsafe TikTok 'hacks'.
Responding to the alarming TikTok video, posted by a creator named Courts, some people were bewildered by the tanning method.
'What the hell,' one viewer wrote, while another branded the tanning method 'absolutely embarrassing'.
Responding to criticism of her tanning method, Courts hit back and accused the viewers of being 'snowflakes'.
She said: 'OBVIOUSLY, if it was burning too much, you'd wash it off.'
Courts' divisive tanning 'hack' comes after research revealed last summer that Gen Z were taking extreme measures to achieve a bronzed glow.
Professor Caitriona Ryan, co-founder of the Institute of Dermatologists, says she believes sunbed use among young people is 're-emerging' in recent times.
Speaking to the Irish Independent in 2024, she said: 'I've had several patients die who, in their youth, used sunbeds.'
She added she believes the invention of fake tan has significantly reduced instances of melanoma and other skin cancers; but she's concerned such illnesses may be on the rise again thanks to patients in their 20s turning to sunbeds to achieve a 'base' tan.
The newspaper also cited research that suggests people looking for a top tier tan are turning to illegal nasal sprays in order to maintain their tans.
The sprays contain melanotan, a synthetic hormone which stimulates pigment cells to produce more melanin - which is what tans skin when it's exposed to UV rays.
Initially, the hormone was developed to treat patients with photo sensitivity to light, but it has not been officially approved by boards in the EU, nor the US.
Ryan likened the 'illegal' sprays to 'snorting cocaine' in how they infiltrate the human body once ingested.
