People are deliberately chasing tans even as SPF products now promise better coverage than ever.

Why it matters: It's not only unsafe, but also at odds with the culture's anti-aging skin care obsession.

What they're saying: "There's no 'healthy tan,'" dermatologist Nazanin Saedi told Axios. "A tan is a sign of sun damage."

• "You can use all the retinol you want," said Anthony Rossi, a dermatological surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "No amount of retinol is going to counteract your lack of sunscreen."

Threat level: Too much UV doesn't just age your skin — it can cause cancer.

• As a former '90s tanning bed user who later developed skin cancer, Rossi said he's now seeing a new generation make the same mistake as tanning beds regain popularity.
• "I'm cutting off more and more skin cancers" from patients in their teens, 20s and 30s, he says.

State of play: One-third of Gen Z respondents flunked a new American Academy of Dermatology sun safety quiz even as most rated their own habits "good" or "excellent."

• And 64% said they'd encountered sunscreen misinformation online, per AAD.

Meanwhile, a "natural" skin care movement is pushing people to make their own sunscreens with ingredients like beef tallow or skip applying altogether.

• Reality check: Saedi recommends choosing a mineral sunscreen instead.

💭 Nadia's thought bubble: You'll never catch me sunbathing or trying to get a tan. I can absolutely appreciate a warm, sunny day, but only with SPF 50 PA++++, a hat, and plenty of shade.

The bottom line: "Sunscreen is safe. ... just get into the habit of wearing it every day," Saedi said.

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New invasive melanoma cases rose about 47% over the past decade, per the Skin Cancer Foundation.

By the numbers: For every 100,000 people, about 24 new melanoma cases were reported in California, in line with the national rate and up from previous years, according to the most recent data compiled by the CDC and NCI.

It's not just that there's more disease — more aggressive screening is catching skin cancers that might have gone undiagnosed years ago, per Rossi of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

The intrigue: Differences in state melanoma rates are driven in large part by population demographics.

• Melanoma is far more common in non-Hispanic White people, who make up about 80% of the population in North Dakota and Minnesota, compared with under 40% in California, according to American Cancer Society epidemiologist Ahmedin Jemal.

🏢 Tenants are clamoring for office space again thanks to the AI boom, but the post-pandemic rebound is uneven across neighborhoods and building types.

• Renovated spaces in Mission Bay and the Design District, for example, are hot while older buildings in areas like SoMa are hearing crickets. (SF Standard)

💰 Mayor Lurie's charter-reform push got a $1.5 million boost at the end of June, including half a million from Laurene Powell Jobs' Emerson Collective. The campaign is pushing three potential ballot measures that would remake city hall. (Mission Local)

🎮 SF-based game studio Double Fine became independent again as part of major restructuring within Microsoft's Xbox division. Microsoft also announced plans to lay off 4,800 people. (SF Chronicle)

🎶 A vacant Chase Bank at 21st and Mission streets is set to become a music venue called Hidden Frequency, which will host DJ sets and have a listening room. It's expected to open this fall. (Mission Local)

Active sunscreen ingredient bemotrizinol — popular in Europe and Asia — was just approved by the FDA for use in the U.S.

• It's the first update of over-the-counter sunscreen products since the late '90s

Why it matters: The ingredient has been celebrated by dermatologists because it offers strong ultraviolet A and B protection and is easy to wear.

• "It just feels so nice, smooth and elegant — it doesn't feel as sticky or have such a white cast," dermatologist Nazanin Saedi said.

👀 What we're watching: The Dutch brand DSM-Firmenich is expected to begin selling a bemotrizinol product later this year.

A dangerous peptide marketed online as a sunless tanning shortcut is resurfacing.

The big picture: Melanotan II — nicknamed the "Barbie drug" because it can also suppress appetite — mimics a hormone that tells the body to make more melanin.

• It can be found as a nasal spray or shot, but it's not approved by the FDA or any other major regulator.

🚨 Threat level: Case studies suggest it could lead to the development of skin cancer.

• Doctors warn melanotan injections can alter moles and are increasingly being used in gyms as part of "beautification stacks," despite safety concerns.