After five years of lifeguarding, I have experienced my fair share of sun exposure. By the end of the summer, my skin is bound to be about ten shades darker, and I will have the tan lines to prove it.
However, you would think after spending most of my childhood summers at the pool, I would have learned to slather on some SPF 30. Unfortunately, I often find myself at the start of every summer with the mindset that I need to be “tan,” and I need to be “tan” now. This quickly leads to an ugly blistering sunburn and a trip to Wal-Mart to pick up some aloe.
Nonetheless, I tell myself it is not that big of a deal. The red will fade, and a lovely golden tan will be left behind, right? This is just one of the many excuses we use to justify laying out in the sun, unprotected, for hours at a time.
The last thing we want to admit is that tan skin is damaged skin.
According to the Melanoma Research Foundation, when your skin is exposed to UV rays, it causes damage to the DNA in skin cells. A tan is your body’s defense kicking in.
Your cells are sending an emergency signal out, causing melanin, a pigment, to form. As soon as a tan develops, damage has been done. The problem is that no matter how many excuses and half-truths we hide behind, there really is no such thing as a safe tan.
“I’m Just Establishing a ‘Base Tan'”
There is a common misconception that if you hit the tanning beds, before the start of the summer then your “base tan” will protect you from being burned later on. The problem with this theory is that past damage does not stop future damage. The best way to prevent a burn is to just skip the tanning beds and stick with the sunscreen.
“My Skin’s Naturally Dark”
I envy those who have never had to deal with an itchy, peeling sunburn. However, that does not mean you are off the hook. Even if your skin does not burn, you are still vulnerable to wrinkles, premature aging, and cancer.
Skin cancer cares little for the color of your skin. This is apparent in recent Mayo Clinic studies. Melanoma rates are on the rise across the board, especially for woman under 40. Even though for most college students the possibility of cancer seems to exist somewhere out in the far future, prevention must start now.
“I’m Not Burned…Yet”
If you wait until you see red before applying sunscreen, you are too late. Waiting for a sunburn before you act is like not locking your car door because you have never been robbed before. Sun damage occurs whether you can see it or not. To prevent a nasty sunburn, apply sunscreen one hour before you go outside, and then reapply every two hours.
“I Look Better Tan”
Looking in the mirror, a little color seems to make anyone look hot and healthy. The problem is that while your skin may not show the effects of years of sun damage right now, if you continue to ignore the dangers of long term UV exposure, you have only wrinkles and sagging, leathery skin to look forward to. Besides, is it really the tan that makes us look better, or rather is it just society once again defining beauty for us? This summer love the skin you’re in–literally.