Before You Get That Summer Tan... Read This

By Teresa Ambord

If you’re like most people, you like the idea of having a nice tan, especially when you return to school after a summer of playing in the sun. You’ve no doubt heard the warnings about skin cancer and other skin damage from too much sun. But chances are, you may believe you’re young enough to be immune from such dangers.

Maybe you’ve decided to worry about over-exposure to the sun later, when you are your mom’s age. But if you’re deliberately exposing your skin to direct sun, the damage has already begun. The truth is, there’s no such thing as a “healthy tan.” A tan is visible proof that your skin has been damaged.

Melanin

The sun on your skin stimulates the production of a brown pigment called melanin. The melanin acts like an umbrella, trying to protect your skin. The more time you spend in the sun, the more melanin is produced. You may think that’s a good thing. But you’ve no doubt seen people who’ve spent their lives in the sun. Their skin may be brown, but it also appears thick and hard like stained leather, prone to blotches, brown spots, and wrinkles. Sound attractive?

But loss of attractiveness is not the main reason to avoid direct exposure to the sun. One in five Americans develops skin cancer. The most serious type of skin cancer is called melanoma. In 2005 alone, doctors expect to see a 10 percent increase of new melanoma cases over 2004, and nearly 7,800 deaths.

Clay J. Cockerell, M.D., the president of the American Academy of Dermatology(AAD) warns, “… we know that ultraviolet light is the primary cause of skin cancer and avoiding excessive exposure to the sun and other forms of ultraviolet radiation is the solution. Individuals who seek the sun are intentionally putting their health at risk.” That’s why Dr. Cockerell reminds us to use sun blockers and wear hats and protective clothing. But here’s something that may surprise you. He also warns against using tanning beds.

Tanning beds

If you thought tanning beds or lamps were safer than laying in the sun, think again. According to the AAD, they are even more dangerous than direct sun. Tanning beds employ a higher concentration of UVA rays, which makes the risk of skin cancer even greater. In fact, tanning salons are responsible for an increase of the incidence of skin cancer among adults in their twenties.

But doesn’t the sun provide vitamin D?

The media reports that sunshine prevents cancer because it provides vitamin D. But the AAD says this statement causes confusion in the public. “While the health benefits of vitamin D are well known, prescribing sunshine to get vitamin D is highly irresponsible,” says Dr. Cockerell. “Even when wearing sunscreen, the average person receives enough incidental ultraviolet (UV) exposure through daily activities to achieve recommended vitamin D levels. People should not increase their exposure to either natural or artificial UV light because there is a high risk of developing skin cancer from repeated exposure.” Dermatologists do recommend getting plenty of vitamin D, but you should get it from a healthy diet, they say.

Don’t buy the lie.

Tanning does not clear up acne. It may temporarily mask an acne problem, but the sun can make your skin dry and irritated, which will lead to more breakouts. It’s smarter to protect your skin with a sunscreen that has 15 SPF (sun protection factor) or higher. Look for one that is hypoallergenic, and either noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic, meaning that it will not clog pores. Also look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays.

Here’s what dermatologists recommend:

Enjoy the outdoors, but avoid the suns hottest rays, between 10 am and 4 pm.
Reapply sunscreen every 2 or 3 hours if you are swimming or sweaty.
Wear a hat.
Beware of reflective surfaces like water and snow that magnify the sun’s potency.
Avoiding taking tanning enhancers or accelerators… they are untested.

If you really want to tan and can afford it, dermatologists say salon airbrush tans are safe and attractive.

For more information: 1-888-462-DERM (3376) or www.aad.org.