Gen Z’s indifference to sun damage is heating up their risk of skin cancer
Facts at your Fingertips
By Megan Bennett, Staff Writer, March 1, 2026
In an AAD survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, released in May 2025 in conjunction with Skin Cancer Awareness Month, half of the Gen Z responders reported getting sunburned in 2024. About 10% reported having sunburns that blistered and nearly 40% said their burns made wearing clothes uncomfortable.
Knowledge about the importance of sunscreen is lacking in this age group, who were born between 1997 and 2012. Most Gen Z adults (64%) answered that they often forget to wear sunscreen. Regardless, 20% said they prioritize being tan over skin protection and even more (25%) said they’re fine with looking worse later in life from skin damage if it means looking great now. Only 34% of this age group named skin cancer prevention as the most important reason for sunscreen.
When quized on how much they know about skin protection, surveyors found that about a quarter of the Gen Z respondents could not answer most of the questions correctly, receiving a “D” or “F”. For example, more than half of this group believed the myth that a base tan helps prevent sunburns.
The following graphic shows the survey responses in greater detail.
