Should i tan

Experts estimate that going out in the sun with a base tan is equivalent to wearing a sunscreen with a sun protection factor SPF of 3 to 4. This means the skin can be exposed to up to four times more sun before burning than without the base tan.

For example, if you would ordinarily burn after 20 minutes in the sun, a base tan might mean you can be in the sun for up to 80 minutes before burning. Since wearing sunscreen is much more effective than relying on a base tan to protect you from burning, the real question is whether having a tan on day one of your vacation is worth the time and expense at the tanning salon before you leave. The earlier one starts tanning, the longer the lifetime skin damage and the higher the skin cancer risk.

So there has long been worry about teenagers who spend hours tanning outside or in tanning booths. Because of this concern, a number of states have passed bans or restrictions in recent years requiring parental consent for teenagers to use tanning booths.

In , only five states had such restrictions; in , 42 states did. According to a study of more than 15, U. Some suggest that we should not limit sun exposure too much, because the sun helps increase stores of vitamin D by converting inactive forms of the vitamin in the skin to the active form. This reaction takes far less time than tanning. And vitamin D can be good for your bones, your immune system, and perhaps other parts of the body.

Meanwhile, warnings about the dangers of tanning and sun exposure argue that even brief exposure to intense sun can damage skin and increase cancer risk. And, there are other ways to get vitamin D, such as dairy products and supplements. In my view, it makes little sense to justify sun worship by invoking the health benefits of vitamin D. Better yet, rethink whether you really need a tan to look good. These measures are most effective in combination, and are particularly important for children or for anyone with fair skin.

Remember that you can burn even on cloudy days. Check your local UV index, which predicts the level of UV radiation and indicates the risk of overexposure on a scale from 0 low to 11 or more extremely high. As with most public health worries, we need more research. Perhaps the decline in indoor tanning by teenagers and the efforts of some celebrities such as Nicole Kidman to discourage tanning are indications that we are now moving in the right direction.

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Sensible sun exposure has numerous benefits besides vitamin D, a lot of them listed by Marc Sorenson, above.

Even a cursory survey of scientific papers shows these benefits. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Request Appointment. Tanning: Does a base tan prevent sunburn? Products and services. Free E-newsletter Subscribe to Housecall Our general interest e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics. Sign up now. Should I go to a tanning salon before a sunny vacation to help prevent sunburn? Answer From Lawrence E.

With Lawrence E. Show references Young AR, et al. Accessed April 20, Quatrano NA, et al. Current principles of sunscreen use in children. Current Opinion in Pediatrics. This damage is cumulative, starting from the very first tan. Your Health One in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of Worldwide, there are more skin cancer cases due to indoor tanning than there are lung cancer cases due to smoking.

Your Appearance Tanning changes and ages your skin. If you do develop skin cancer, you run the risk of further, sometimes unsightly changes to your appearance. Tanning facts and risks. Tanning FAQs. Are tanning beds as harmful as the sun? Is tanning a good way to get vitamin D? There are many options that can give you a bronzed look, but you still need sun protection!

Working out feels good and boosts your mood. In dermatology, we characterize skin type and the risk of sunburn and skin cancer using the Fitzpatrick skin scale. The Fitzpatrick scale divides skin tone into six levels, ranging from ivory to dark brown.

The scale is meant to inform how easily a given skin tone burns in the sun. While it may be interesting to see where you fall on the Fitzpatrick scale, sun exposure causes damage and increases the risk of cancer for all skin tones.

So what are your other options? Spending just 20 minutes on a sunbed is equivalent to spending several hours in the midday sun without sunscreen. The active ingredient in these lotions and sprays — dihydroxyacetone DHA — reacts and binds with the surface-level cells on your skin, causing them to darken.

However, some oils used in sunscreen can cause self-tans to fade faster, so look for an oil-free sunscreen if you want to avoid reapplying earlier than necessary.

Rating: 4. Ratings: 4. This increase in melanin causes your skin to change color and acts as an indicator of the damage that has occurred.