Beauty, Brains and the Bronze: Why We Tan

In this episode, we talk about the psychology of tanning. I’m joined by Sherry Pogato, a licensed clinical psychologist, professor, and social media researcher at the University of Connecticut, to break down why indoor tanning and outdoor sunbathing can feel so rewarding – and why melanoma risk warnings barely register. We get into the real drivers: appearance motivation, social rewards, stress relief, and the immediate “feel good” effects people report after UV exposure.We also zoom out to tanning culture and access. As laws restrict minors in tanning salons, tanning beds don’t just vanish, they pop up in gyms, off-campus student apartments, and even through systems that let students pay with campus cash cards, creating mixed messages about safety. Sherry shares research showing how simple policy changes can reduce availability, and why “make it less easy to tan” can be more effective than another poster full of statistics.Then we tackle the modern accelerant: social media. From the “natural glow” health halo to TikTok’s visual economy and the rise of "tanmaxing," UV exposure is getting repackaged as wellness and aesthetics. Sherry also explains a promising sun safety intervention that flips the script by recruiting tanners to create and share healthy skin content, shifting behavior through cognitive dissonance instead of preaching. If you care about sun safety, skin cancer prevention, sunscreen habits, or how to change health behavior in a world of algorithms, this one is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves a tan, and leave a review with your biggest question about tanning and UV risk.