Even though you’ve heard that suntans are seriously harmful, do you still want a healthy glow? Before you go out and bake, take a look at this story. We’ll show you the science behind a suntan (which can be a killer skin condition) so you can understand what really happens once the rays hit your skin. Then we’ll tell you what you can do about it. You can get that glow without wrecking your skin, so read on.
First, you need to know that “suntans and sunburns are both marks of injury. They’ll fade, but they permanently damage your skin,” says Dr. Vincent DeLeo, chairman of dermatology at New York’s St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital. And “damage is additive. Your skin remembers the abuse,” says Dr. Andrew Scheman, dermatologist at Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital. In fact, Dr. Lynn Drake, a dermatologist at Harvard University in Boston, says, “The more sunburns that you get as a child, the greater your risk of getting skin cancer as an adult.”
– Here’s how suntanning works
DeLeo explained it to us like this:
Every time your skin absorbs the ultraviolet (UV) rays in light, cells get wounded and release chemicals called prostaglandins. The more rays you get, the more prostaglandins you make, and they cause tiny blood vessels to dilate, leading to pain, inflammation, swelling, blistering and a bright red burn.
At the same time, UV exposure breaks down the fibers that form the foundation of your skin. Eventually, this will result in drooping and sagging and weaken blood vessels, which can lace the surface of your skin with spider veins. Finally, UV rays also cause you to produce free radicals, corrosive little molecules that damage your cells and can cause skin cancers.
– Still think it can’t happen to you?
Consider this: “We’re having an epidemic of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, thanks to suntanning,” Scheman says. “Before it became popular, people had a 1-in-2,500 chance of getting melanoma; now the chances are 1 in 75.” Plus we are exposed to more dangerous ultraviolet rays than ever because of damage to the atmosphere, he adds.
What’s the solution? Sunscreen is a must, but you also can get golden with self-tanners the only safe way to tan. That’s because the tan you get from a self-tanner, unlike the tan you get from the sun or tanning booths, isn’t caused by the ultraviolet rays at all; it’s the byproduct of a chemical reaction in your skin (there’s more later on this phenomenon).
Here’s all the 411 you need on sunscreens and self-tanners.
– ABCs of sunscreen
UV rays are divided into two spectrums: UVA (which has two ranges, I and II) and UVB. “Until recently, we thought UVA I rays were harmless,” says Dr. James Leyden, dermatology professor at the University of Pennsylvania. But recent studies show that they may be the most dangerous, because they penetrate glass. They’re a main cause of wrinkling and may also cause melanoma.
That means we need to protect ourselves from all UV rays, and most sunscreens don’t do that, Leyden says. Avobenzone (brand name Parsol 1789) is the only known chemical that offers full-spectrum protection. Two other ingredients that offer superior ray defense are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Many products now combine two or three because “every ingredient has different limitations,” Leyden notes.
– Here’s how to snag good ‘screen:
1. Check ingredients. For the broadest coverage, look for sunscreens with avobenzone. Zinc oxide deflects almost all UVA and UVB rays; titanium dioxide and oxybenzone block UVB and UVA II; and octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) blocks UVB.
2. Use at least SPF 15, which filters out about 95 percent of the UVB rays. SPF 30 will stop 97 percent of the rays but may cost more. SPFs don’t add up, so SPF 10 and SPF 8 don’t make SPF 18; coverage will just be SPF 10. There’s no difference between cheap and expensive brands if the ingredients and SPFs are the same.
3. Use the right product. What you’d wear at a pool is different from what you’d wear to school. For the pool, use something water- and sweat-proof; reapply it every 80 minutes.
4. Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going outside; the ingredients need time to work. Don’t forget lips, ears and feet.
5. Also use sunscreen if you’re inside and near a window, or on cloudy days, because you can still get UV radiation in these situations. The reflection of UV rays off concrete, snow and water can also cause you to burn, even if the rays aren’t hitting you directly.
– ABCs of self-tanners
Self-tanners aren’t for dorks. Even the star-studded cast of “Baywatch” had “totally bottled tans because they couldn’t afford to ruin their skin,” says JoAnna Connell, the Malibu-based makeup artist who was responsible for their glows.
Though getting color with a self-tanner is totally safe, “it can also be tricky,” Connell says. Here’s what she says you need to know:
1. All self-tanners work the same way. They contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which reacts with the amino acids in skin and produces a tan as a byproduct. Since they all have the same active ingredient, you don’t have to pick pricey brand names (unless you find one you really like).
2. Self-tanning is a trial-and-error process because the color you get depends on the amino acids in your skin. Sometimes an unpleasant smell is caused by the reaction of the product with your skin. Do a patch test first to check your reactions, and change products if you’re not satisfied.
3. Choose the form you need. Creams and lotions give the most control, sprays are good for hard-to-reach spots, and gels or mousse dry faster. To aid application, look for products that contain vanishing tints or are also bronzers so you can see any skin patches you miss.
4. Pick the features you need. If you’re going out, use one that dries fast and has a full-spectrum SPF for coverage from UV rays. If you’re concerned with break-outs, use a water-based product.
5. Before applying, wash well to remove dead skin. Wait 20 minutes to allow pores to close and body temperature to drop to normal, which will prevent streaking. Apply the self-tanner evenly in a thin layer; go easy anywhere you have creases (such as knees, elbows and ankles) because this skin is drier and will absorb more self-tanner, resulting in a darker tan. Do hands last, washing them first to remove any self-tanner on palms.
– One last tip
Don’t forget to protect your peepers. “The sun can also damage your eyes,” dermatologist Drake says, “so make sure you wear sunglasses that have UVA filters.”
