Dermatologists are warning against the dangers of a growing trend called "sunburn art" that involves creating designs on the skin by sun bathing.

The temporary designs are created by protecting certain parts of the skin while exposing the rest. Designs can range from a simple star to an elaborate floral pattern on the back.

"A couple of my friends that go to tanning salons, whenever they go into the beds they put a sticker of a star or bunny," one tanner told CTV Toronto on Friday.

Designs can also be created by using sunscreen and "painting" a pattern on the skin that is left on while outside.

"I think it's horrifying," said Toronto dermatologist Dr. Julia Carroll when asked about the trend. She says a part of her concern comes from the fact that many people are deliberately getting a sun burn in order to achieve the look.

"A lot of people aren't very patient and so they are going straight for the burn, which is the quickest way to get that contrast," she said.

Carroll adds that even if people are not getting burned, sun tanning can still lead to pre-mature aging and skin cancer.

"It's really important to know that even though you’re not getting a burn and just getting a tan, a tan is also sign that you're causing skin damage."

According to Carroll, a person's risk of developing melanoma is doubled if they've had "one bad sun burn" before the age of 18. That risk jumps to 80 per cent if a person has had more than five sun burns over their lifetime, she said.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Pauline Chan