It consists of sunbathing with the legs up, exposing the anal rectum for 30 seconds. This tendency to tan the anus can carry short-term and long-term health hazards.
We think that the news that goes viral is always true, but the reality is that a news that becomes a trend does not imply that its content is full of scientific evidence and more so when we talk about health disclosure.
The origin of this practice dates back to 1986 by Dr. Stephen Thomas Chang and his book based on pseudoscientific research, ” The Tao of Sexology ” which claimed that exposing the anus to the sun keeps the area healthy and free of germs due to its excellent germicidal qualities. .
presumed benefits
The practice of tanning the anus already has a profile on the Instagram social network ” butthole.sunning ” and refers to things like sunbathing on the anus generates a great boost of energy, improves your quality of sleep and provides benefits to sexual level.
This practice already has loyal followers such as “ metaphysucalmeagan ”, “ ra_of_earth ” or Troy Casey , an American former Versace model who became known for drinking his own urine for the last 17 years.
Without any type of scientific evidence, these people assure that this practice of tanning the anus brings great benefits to the body such as the prevention of hemorrhoids and the increase in the absorption of vitamin D.
Surely you remember the Avengers movie that was released 4 years ago and in which half of the universe disappeared because of a character named Thanos.
The actor Josh Brolin who gives life to the character Thanos surprised his more than three million followers on Instagram with a confession about sunbathing in the anus after causing burns and pain in the perianal area.
What happens if the sun hits your anus?
The perianal area is sensitive to the sun , so it is not recommended to carry out this practice in intimate areas because the skin is not prepared to filter ultraviolet rays, which can cause short-term burns, but it could also develop skin cancer. .
Sunburn causes the skin to be red but also sore to the touch and even to the friction of clothing. It usually appears within a few hours of sun exposure and is caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet light.
How does ultraviolet light affect our skin?
Unprotected sun exposure not only increases the chance of burning your skin, it can increase your risk of skin cancer . When ultraviolet light comes into contact with our skin, it can damage its cells and specifically our genetic material, DNA.
Damaging our DNA can cause changes in cells, causing them to grow and divide more quickly. This cell growth can lead to an alteration that involves the development of skin cancer.
The most serious skin cancer is called melanoma and it has the peculiarity that it can seep into nearby tissues and spread to the rest of the body. It is called melanoma because it develops in the cells that produce melanin , the pigment that gives our skin its color.
Melanoma appears visually in the form of irregular moles that expose an alteration in asymmetry , borders , color , diameter , evolution and can even cause pain or discomfort when touched with the fingers.
Prevention is essential and we have to learn to periodically self -examine ourselves to see if there are any changes or the appearance of new moles with unusual characteristics.
The skin is the largest organ of our body and is constantly exposed to external factors such as ultraviolet light. For this reason, we have to prevent sun exposure with one of these tips:
- Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, especially between 12 and 4 p.m. when ultraviolet light is more intense.
- Check your skin regularly, especially moles.
- Use sunscreen all year round with at least a 30 sun protection factor.
- Use physical protection barriers such as sunglasses, hats, umbrellas, etc.
Health professionals do not recommend this type of practice since they put your own health at risk. It is important to know that the information related to healthy living that can go viral through social networks does not imply that it is correct information and we can fall into the famous fake news .
Bibliographic references
Marquez Diaz, J.E. (2020). Deep artificial vision applied to the early identification of non-melanoma cancer and actinic keratosis. Computing and Systems, 24(2), 751-766.
Manciet, J.R. (2020). Sunburn and prevention. EMC-Treaty of Medicine, 24(3), 1-7.
MedlinePlus. 2022. Skin cancer exam https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/tests-de-laboratory/examen-de-cancer-de-piel/
