A base tan will help to protect your skin from sun damage – True or False?
The unfortunate answer is false. Studies have shown that tans offer up protection equivalent to a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of between 2 and 4. An SPF 2 will only block about 50% of the UVB rays; hardly anything at all when you consider the damage to your skin obtained by tanning. And even with a tan, you can still burn.
Sun exposure isn’t all bad. In addition to how good we feel just by being in the sun, we need UVB rays to produce Vitamin D, essential to our well being. Yet, this is easily obtained in as little as 10 or 15 minutes of sun exposure each day. During the winter, if you live in Northern climates, you may want to consider supplementing as the UVB rays just aren’t strong enough to promote Vitamin D production.
So you might think you’re doing your skin a favor by getting that base tan but consider this:
• Sun exposure can increase skin pigment that not only leads to tanning, but that can also result in hyperpigmentation (skin discoloration)
• Excessive sun exposure can suppress your skin’s immune system, making you more susceptible to infection.
• Over the long term, sun exposure can cause premature aging (photoaging) leading to wrinkling, sagging and age spots. In some individuals changes to DNA can lead to skin cancer.
The best advice?
Follow good sun practice:
• Cover up with sun protective clothing, a hat and sunglasses
• Seek shade when possible
• Avoid exposure during the peak hours of 10am and 4 pm, when the sun’s rays are most intense.
• Wear a broad spectrum UVA/UVB photostable sunscreen as found in the Anthelios and Bioderma Photoderm Max range of sunscreens.
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