Celebs Over 40 Who Regret Their Young Tanning Days

For decades, the pursuit of a sun-kissed glow has led people to overlook the fact that getting a summer tan can be quite risky for health. As Skincancer.org noted, what is often perceived as a gorgeous glow from a tan is actually a sign of DNA damage. Dispelling the notion that indoor tanning beds are safer for the skin than the sun, the organization stressed that UV exposure of any kind can bring on genetic damage to the top layer of the skin. 

Contrary to popular belief, genetic damage can start occurring after just one incident of tanning, and subsequent tans only increase genetic mutation and bring greater risks to health. According to the FDA, tanning can greatly increase the risks of skin cancers, bring on photokeratitis (vision damage caused by a sunburn of the cornea), and trigger early aging, amongst numerous other issues. There's no doubt that getting a tan really does a lot to your skin, and most of it is not good. 

However, properly protecting yourself from the sun can go a long way in preventing these dangers. Although we all know that wearing a good sunscreen is one of the best ways to practice sun protection, some people still choose to forego it. A 2020 study in the Journal of Cancer Education found that the main reasons why people chose not to regularly wear sunscreen were "inconvenience, perceived lack of need, and perceived unnecessity." Over the years, many celebrities have confessed that they chose not to wear sunscreen because they wanted a tan. However, they haven't been too proud to admit that they have had to learn from their past mistakes the hard way.

In 2023, Harper's Bazaar asked Courteney Cox about a skincare product she wished she had incorporated into her routine in her 20s. The "Friends" alum didn't hesitate to admit that she wished she had better protected her skin from the sun in her younger years. To help her daughter, Coco Arquette, properly understand the ill effects of not effectively covering her body with sunscreen, Cox had even shown her her chest. 

Although her daughter refused to believe her skin would ever resemble hers, Cox still imparted a pearl of wisdom to her: "Wear sunscreen and care about your body. Really use the right products because it catches up."

Speaking to Now To Love in 2017, Jennifer Aniston revealed that she used to spend time basking in the sun ever since she was a kid. However, she deeply regretted her younger self's decision to sunbathe while wearing baby oil instead of sunscreen. 

In a 2015 People interview, the Emmy winner shared how she had tried to make good on her past mistakes, stating, "I gave myself a sun-tanning intervention a few years ago, where I was basically saying, 'Let's just quit while we're ahead." After her little intervention, Aniston also included a moisturizing sunscreen in her daily skincare routine.

In a 2016 Allure interview, Jessica Alba recalled how she had tried out tanning beds numerous times in her younger years to stay in line with the beauty trends of the time. However, the "Honey" actor had no interest in falling back on her old ways, as she explained, "I would never do a tanning bed ever [now]." 

Alba appears well aware of the real risk people take when they use a tanning bed. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, tanning bed use can increase the risk of squamous cell carcinoma by 58% and basal cell carcinoma by 24%.

During a 2025 appearance on "The Howard Stern Show," Hugh Jackman shared that he had the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, removed six times. The Australian actor also admitted that he couldn't believe he had continued to go out to tan even after his first run-in with skin cancer for the sake of staying in line with Australian culture.

Additionally, in a 2023 Instagram video, Jackman shared a clear message with his followers: "Please wear sunscreen. It is just not worth it," Jackman continued. "No matter how much you want to tan: Trust me, trust me, trust me."

Speaking to Elle in 2021, Brooke Shields shared that she hadn't used sunscreen as a teen because she was desperate to get a glowy tan. In those days, "The Blue Lagoon" star wasn't worried about getting skin cancer in the slightest. 

As a result, she was shocked to receive a solar keratosis diagnosis from her doctor in 2021 for spots she had developed some 40 years ago due to tanning. As Mayo Clinic notes, solar keratosis is a precancerous condition caused by overexposure to the sun. After the diagnosis, Shields had not only started wearing sunscreen herself but also tried to convince her kids to follow suit.

In a 2024 Instagram post, Christie Brinkley revealed that doctors had successfully removed a basal cell carcinoma spot from her face. The model went on to reveal her tanning regrets, saying, "I got serious a bit late so now for this ole mermaid/gardener, I'll be slathering on my SPF 30, reapplying as needed, wearing long sleeves and a wide brim hat." 

Additionally, in a 2024 Page Six interview, she shared that she had developed hyperpigmented and hypopigmented spots on her body because she hadn't worn sunscreen in her younger years. She had even shown those spots to her daughters to encourage them to lather on sunscreen.

In an Instagram post shared in 2022, Teddi Mellencamp shared that she had been diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma. The RHOBH alum admitted that she had made many mistakes that could have culminated in her diagnosis, including her refusal to wear sunscreen until she was in her 40s and her decision to use baby oil and iodine to tan herself in her teens. 

Notably, Mellencamp also once had a tanning bed in her room. In a 2023 Instagram post, she shared that she purposefully put her untanned legs and her melanoma scars on display to discuss the perils of tanning.

During a 2025 episode of "Today with Jenna & Friends," Jenna Bush Hager recalled how the skin on her breasts had turned green after getting sunburnt following a tanning session at a topless beach in Spain in her teen years. Chatting with the NY Post, dermatologist Dr. Adarsh Vijay Mudgil professed that the skin barrier damage that Bush Hager had sustained due to the burn had likely given way to a secondary bacterial infection, which showed up through yellowish-green cuts. Years later, she was talking to a dermatologist to figure out how to minimize the sun damage her skin had sustained throughout her younger years.

During a 2014 interview with Canadian Living, Jennifer Garner recalled how she would frequently get painful sunburns in her younger years because she had subscribed to the belief that she needed to bake out in the sun for hours without sunscreen to get a gorgeous tan. 

In a 2021 appearance on "Today," Garner shared another reason why she wasn't big on tanning anymore, saying, "What's hard about your 20s and 30s is that the sun damage that you're doing shows up when you're older. It's like, take care of future you." To make up for her past errors, Garner refused to leave home without sunscreen.