Sun Tanning

Are you a beach bum?

Sun tanning is still the most popular and worshiped form of tanning, despite the health risks.

I know many women and men who just can't wait to hit the beach in the hot summer months.

I love the beach too, but I limit my time there and I protect myself from the harmful UV rays as much as possible.

So we all know that the first step in protecting ourselves from the harm of UV rays is to apply sun screen. The best idea is to apply at least 30 SPF to limit a chance of sun burn.

But is sunscreen giving you all the protection you need? Let's do a little review of tanning process and UV rays...

Our skin will darken when there is an increase of the pigment melanin into the skin's cells after exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Melanin' job is to protect our bodies from absorbing too much solar radiation.

There are two types of UV rays: UVA and UVB. They both cause various skin damage.

UVA rays:

• cause melanoma and other skin cancers
• cause skin aging
• cause sunburn but in less degree than UVB rays

UVB rays

• damage DNA
• cause formation of moles
• cause some skin cancers with the exception of melanoma
• cause skin aging
• cause sunburn

All sunscreens on the market protect us completely from UVB rays, but unfortunately very few protect us from UVA rays. So next time you purchase one, make sure it is protecting you from both UVA and UVB rays. They are usually called broad spectrum sunscreens.

As you can see even if you slap on a lot of sunscreen you are not fully protected from harm of the rays. But if you still choose to be a beach bum there are other ways to protect you from the damage:

• Reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours and after swimming

• Try to stay out of the sun between the hours of 10 am to 4 pm. That's when the sun's rays are the strongest.

• Limit your time on the beach

• Wear sun glasses with UV protection

• Wear a hat

What if you overdo it and give yourself a mild sunburn?

Find ways to soothe your irritated skin

Yes, sun rays are healthy in moderation. The biggest benefit of suntanning is preventing vitamin D deficiency which can manifest as muscle and bone weakness. UVB rays trigger vitamin D production by our bodies.

Experts recommend 5-15 minutes of sunlight a day to avoid vitamin D deficiency

Sunshine is also used to treat conditions like psoriasis, vitiligo and sometimes acne.

Return from Sun Tanning back to Home Page