I know it’s not what we want to hear, but sadly, there is no such thing as a “safe tan” – apart from fake tan, although there has been evidence to suggest inhaling the fumes of fake tan can cause damage (but that’s another issue altogether).
I will admittedly put my hands up and say that I thought sun-beds were much worse than tanning in the sun and while this is technically true, the sun can be equally as harmful to your skin.
Sun-beds are not a ‘safe’ way to get a tan. Sunbeds are mainly made up of UVA lights, which is mostly the natural light that the sun holds which is now linked to skin cancer where it previously was not. However, sun beds also contain UBV light, which is the main cause of melanoma skin cancer. There is UBV light in the sun but the percentage is lower than that in sun-beds. UBV rays are the main ones, which cause burning. Not being a negative nelly but an estimated 100 malignant melanoma deaths each year is caused by sun-bed use alone. Not to mention that people who have had sunburn are twice as likely to get melanoma than those who have not.
Getting a base tan
I know many girls who will get a “base tan” before jetting off to somewhere exotic to continue tanning. There can be a common myth that your skin will be protected from burning (and indeed skin cancer) if you go on sun-beds before going on your holiday. This idea is to get your skin used to the conditions and makes it easier to tan and hopefully decreasing your chances of burning.
Having a slight tan already could prevent burning but the damage is also increased. The intensity of some of the UV rays they give off can be 10 to 15 times higher than that of the midday sun so even if you spend a few minutes on a sun-bed, you will have caused more damage than you would of spending all day in the sun abroad. Using sunbeds for the first time before the age of 35 increases the risk of developing melanoma skin cancer by nearly 60%.
What people don’t realise is that being out in the sun abroad can be just as dangerous as getting into a sun-bed. The sun still has all of the components that a sun-bed has, just a less intense rate.
This means that those who spend a lot of time in the sun CAN still have the same risk as using sunbeds, albeit, they would have to spend a lot of time in the natural sun.
So, what does this all mean? Because I know I cannot be dealing with streaky fake tan all year round. The general consensus from doctors is that sunbeds should not be used and cause more damage than they are worth. Having said that, doctors have been known to given prescription sunbeds for those with skin conditions as eczema as the artificial light can stop itching.
The best advice I can give is use the sun in moderation (which I know is hard to do when you’re only holiday) but be sensible!
Use sun cream of at least SPF 15 with good UVA protection. Sun cream will NOT stop you from getting a tan anyway! Try to avoid the sun’s hottest time (12 Noon – 3pm) and make sure to wear sunglasses/hat.
Photo Credits: journeyofus.com, feelgoodholidays.co.uk