How do you like your toast?
Given the choice, we would all choose tan over white. It looks healthier, right? The question is, how healthy is it? And is natural healthier than tanning salon? We’ll see!
There are three ways to get that beautiful body tan: the natural way, the fake way (tanning salons), and the “other” fake way (sunless tan). A tanned body is good: it enhances body definition, looks great, and makes you desirable. However, is all that positivity worth the dangers your body may suffer?
Well, let’s take a look at them individually.
Traditional (sun) tanning: is it safe? Tanning is essentially the skin’s reaction to damage already done and a defensive attempt to protect itself from further damage. So when you head out into the sun-kissed garden, don’t forget your sunglasses, towel, and sunscreen! So is sunbathing dangerous? It may be that, as the sun’s ultraviolet radiation falls on your body, it literally burns your skin: your tan is your body’s natural defense against this, a healing mechanism, a scab if you will. This is a great risk of skin cancer.
If you are going to tan in the sun, avoid doing it between 12 and 3 o’clock as this is when the sun is at its fiercest. Use a low factor sunscreen. Be careful if you go in the water, as some sunscreens are not waterproof, and wear a sun hat and t-shirt.
Use of hammocks. These attempt to eliminate UV rays that come into contact with your skin, while also giving you that healthy tan you so desire. In addition to this, they also control your exposure to UV rays, which reduces your risk of getting skin cancer. However, there is still a risk: the British Association of Dermatologists recommends not spending more than 10 hours a year on the deckchair. Can you imagine having only 10 hours of sunshine a year? Does this mean that none of us are safe?
Fake tans! These are the safest! There are bronzing powders, usually applied to the face as blush, bronzer that you apply for a day and then wash off when you shower, and self-tanner. The latter is the most complex, but it basically contains a chemical called dihydroxyacetone that is absorbed by the surface cells of the skin and turns brown in the presence of oxygen. The tan lasts until these cells shed naturally. Tips for this type of tan involve exfoliating dead cells and moisturizing the skin before application to achieve the best possible absorption of the tan. Also the application of the lighter shade since you can always darken it later.
It seems that the safest method is fake tanning through lotions, followed by total avoidance of the sun’s rays; if you can’t do that, use a low SPF sunscreen when you’re out in the sun, because even if you’re a fake tan, you can still burn yourself and you don’t want to end up like a slice of toast that’s been under the grill too long, TRUE?