Beauty And The Blog

Do you “go tanning”? You know, go to a tanning salon and lay in one of those beds or stand in the booth? Come on, you know who you are. You still think that a tan is a sign of good health; perhaps you even think it makes you look younger. That is what I hear people that use the awful things say.

Maybe you only use a tanning bed when you are preparing to take a vacation in a tropical location where you will have increased sun exposure. More than you are getting now if it is winter and you are in a cold climate. You think building up a ‘base tan’ will protect you from that first day sunburn? Really think so? Let’s get real.

It won’t. It’s a myth. When you get a tan you are actually thickening up the outer layer of your skin. The brown or golden color comes as a defense mechanism for the underlying layers of skin. It is your body’s way of trying to protect itself from further damage. Because a tan is damage, damaged skin. Exposure to the suns rays, the UVA rays in particular, are what cause the thickening and coloration of the skin to happen. Well guess what? The UVA bulbs in a tanning bed will cause the color of the skin to change but has no effect at all in regards to thickening the skin. This equals no protection. You are still vulnerable to sunburn. A natural tan from the sun gives you protection from sunburn that is the equivalent of about an SPF 2 or 4. SPF 15 or higher is what is recommended to prevent sunburn.

Did you know that sunburn actually isn’t a burn? When you expose your skin unprotected to the sun your immune system rushes additional blood supply to the surface of the exposed area. That is what causes the sensation of heat and the pink skin. Later, the peeling of the skin takes place when white blood cells take over to shed the body of dead and damaged skin cells.

Tanning salons claim that only UVA rays are emitted by the bulbs used in the beds. You are only getting the rays that tan you. They promise you no burn.   But UVA rays happen to be the rays that age you, bestowing you with wrinkles, sagging skin and the breakdown of collagen and elastin. All that stuff you are just so happy to find taking up residence on your face. And the rest of your body.

The American Academy of Dermatology reports that tanning bulbs also emit small amounts of UVB rays. Those are the rays that cause a variety of cancers. Pretty cool, huh?

What? You don’t think that’s cool? Oh. Sorry.

You know what else? The UVA rays in a tanning bed bulb are a lot more potent that the UVA rays emitted by the sun. By about 2 to 3 times. And how about this; only one visit a month to a tanning salon increases your risk for skin cancer by 55%. If you are under 30, that risk increases to 75%. Tanning, sunburns and tanning beds are particularly bad for teens. Their skin is more readily damaged and this has caused a rise in the number of cases of skin cancer for people in their 20′s.

The most serious form of skin cancer is Malignant Melanoma. The occurrence of this type of cancer has increased in people under age 40. It is the second most common cancer in women 20-29 in the USA. Malignant Melanoma can be fatal if not caught early. If diagnosed with Melanoma you are will need to have surgery to remove the affected and surrounding area. Chemotherapy may be necessary as well.

Tanning bed use can also cause a 2.5% increased risk of Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Squamous Cell Carcinoma can metastasize if not caught early. Approximately 2,500 people die in the USA every year from this cancer. And those who have a history of this type of cancer are at an increased risk for other cancers, such as lung, colon and breast.

Basal Cell Carcinoma is the least serious of skin cancers. Tanning bed use presents a 1.5% increased risk. This form of cancer is very treatable yet can be disfiguring depending on severity. Basal Cell Carcinoma affects about 1 million Americans each year.

Drug interactions and a tendency to aggravate cold sores, premature aging and all the cancer risks should be enough to keep you out of the tanning salons. But will it?

Tans are out of fashion in the celebrity crowd. Noticed that? Tans should be out of fashion, period. I know this post hasn’t been the most fun to read. But tanning does have a lot to do with the aging of the skin in addition to the health risks.

Decide to let your own natural skin tone glow with good health. That is what good skin is about. And if you absolutely must look sun drenched, do it naturally with a good full spectrum sunscreen or use a self tanner. There are some great ones out now that give you a boost of color, moisturize and even have ingredients to help your skin look its best.

To learn more about skin cancer, check out An Introduction to Skin Cancer.

Note: January 25, 2010

I have been thinking about something. Why are women of pale complexion so convinced that they must have a tan in order to be attractive or healthy looking? I am a white woman, I have a skin type that tans easily even if I wear a sunscreen of SPF 50. I never try to get a tan anymore, I just love being on the water, and sunny days. So I put on my SPF and be careful. But I feel just fine about being pale.  Women of other ethnicity’s accept the color of their skin as it is but Caucasian women seem to think they need that tan to be attractive and put themselves at risk to get it. This just doesn’t make sense to me. Anyone got a comment for me on that? Because frankly, I don’t get it, in this day and age when we know so much about skin damage! Talk to me…