Is It Possible to Tan Safely?
Who doesn’t enjoy the feel of the warm sun on their skin? Okay, some people don't like it at all. But many of us find it comforting, soothing, and just plain delicious. And for those of us who love it, we might be tempted to soak in a few rays every once in a while, but it seems like even a little sun exposure can be too much. Here are the facts on where the lines are and what to do.
How Much Is Too Much?
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, every moment we spend in the sun can contribute to skin damage. Even worse, the effects are cumulative, so even if we’re only exposing ourselves to the rays for a few minutes each day, we could still be increasing our skin cancer risk without even realizing it. In short, they feel that no amount of sun exposure is safe.
Effects of UV Radiation
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a known human carcinogen, which means it’s been shown to cause cancer in humans. UV radiation comes in three forms:
- UVA rays aren’t as damaging as UVB rays, but they can cause premature aging of the skin and may contribute to some cases of skin cancer.
- UVB rays are extremely damaging. They’re responsible for most sunburns and are likely responsible for most cases of skin cancer.
- UVC rays are the most damaging of the sun’s rays, but none reach us because they’re filtered out by the earth’s ozone layer. But these can also be emitted by UV sanitizing bulbs, mercury lamps and welding torches.
UVA and UVB rays are most damaging between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., especially during the spring and summer. Still, it’s important to be mindful of UV radiation exposure year-round, even when it’s cloudy. UVA can also penetrate window glass, so don’t let your guard down just because you’re indoors or in the car.
UV radiation exposure can damage the eyes, and it’s believed to contribute to age-related macular degeneration. That damage may increase as we age. This may be because the amount of melanin, which protects against UV radiation, diminishes in the eyes as we get older. People taking medications that increase vulnerability to sunlight are at an even higher risk of UV-related eye damage.
What About Tanning Beds?
Tanning beds are no better than natural sunlight, exposing the user to all sorts of UV radiation. A single indoor tanning session is enough to increase a person’s skin cancer risk. For those who use a tanning bed before the age of 35, the risk of getting melanoma skyrockets by a whopping 75%.
The sun’s warm rays may be tempting, and the thought of having a nice bronze glow might seem nice, but the UV radiation we soak in now could mean trouble later. Experts recommend that we get as much of daily your vitamin D as possible from diet rather than sun exposure, keeping rays to a minimum and wearing sunscreen when needed. And for those who absolutely can’t stand being without the kiss of color, perhaps it's time to consider going the safer route and using a tanning lotion instead.
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