'Sunscreen Contouring': The TikTok Hack Dermatologists Beg You to Skip
The 'sunscreen contouring' hack sculpts your face by letting it burn — and that's exactly why dermatologists want it gone.
Sunscreen contouring deliberately leaves parts of the face unprotected to tan and 'sculpt' it; dermatologists warn that UV is a known carcinogen and any excess sun exposure raises skin-cancer and photoaging risk.
Dermatologists interviewed by ABC News warn that there is no safe way to tan and that intentionally exposing parts of the face to UV to create shadows amounts to deliberate skin damage, increasing both skin-cancer and premature-aging risk.
Questions we get a lot
What is sunscreen contouring?
Sunscreen contouring is a social-media trend in which people deliberately leave parts of the face unprotected so those areas tan or darken, mimicking the shadows of makeup contour. Dermatologists describe it as intentionally creating sun damage in a pattern.
Why do dermatologists say not to do it?
UV radiation is a known carcinogen, and any deliberate excess sun exposure raises the risk of skin cancer and photoaging. Because sunscreen contouring intentionally leaves skin unprotected, dermatologists warn it is a genuinely harmful habit, not a harmless beauty hack.
r/SkincareAddiction: 'Saw a TikTok telling people to skip sunscreen on parts of their face to contour — is that as bad as it sounds?'