According to U.S. Surgeon General, many teens and young adults were put to risk because of their desire to have a sun-kissed glow thus they are fond of sun tanning. Higher number of teens and young adults are freely exposing themselves to ultraviolet rays by laying their bodies open under the sun.
Dr. Mark Jansen of University of Arkansas Medical Sciences said that the rate of acquiring a tumor in melanin-forming cells called melanoma have increased up to 75% which is directly related to the trend of tanning.
The American Academy of Dermatology also conducted a survey with 7,100 male and female respondents. 80% of the respondents had concerns about skin cancer but still 72% of it is still attracted in tanning.
These show that many are still fascinated in tanning thus it is unavoidable. Good news, there are ways to tan safely.
When tanning with the aid of the sun, always use sun protection lotions. There are different sun protection products such as sunblock, sunscreen, and SPF (sun protection factor). Sunblock blocks the ultraviolet rays therefore no tanning will happen when using it. Sunscreens and SPFs allow certain amount of UV rays to penetrate the skin therefore allows slight tanning. These sunscreens and SPF lotions filter the penetration of UV rays in the skin, therefore protecting the skin from direct infiltration of the UV rays. Tanning oil can also help speed up the tanning process. It is recommended to use tanning oils that has SPF to have at least sun protection. Use SPF not lower than SPF 20 because the higher the SPF, the harder the tanning takes effect. The sun’s UV rays are at its peak between 10:00am to 4:00pm. To minimize skin damage or sun burn, one hour of tanning is enough a day.
Self-tanning products are also used as an alternative to achieve tanning without lying under the sun for too long. These products include creams, lotions, and sprays that darken the skin. Before using any of these self-tanning products, knowing your skin type is a must to avoid allergic skin reaction. To make tanning more effective and even, use an exfoliant first before apply the tanning products. Never take tanning pills because it contains a chemical dye that can give you eventually liver cancer and can turn the skin into orange over the time of use. Tanning salons are another alternative of sunless tanning. Just be ware of tanning beds because it still uses radiation which damages the skin too.
