TANNING & SUN EXPOSURE: Some people think having a tan gives them a "healthy glow." But a tan really shows that the skin is trying to protect itself from sun damage. Sun damage can lead to premature aging (wrinkles!), eye damage and skin cancer. Even "indoor tanning" is not without risk. Tanning beds and lamps can expose you to even more harmful ultraviolet (UV) light than the sun does. And tanning products such as "self-tanners,"sunless sprays and pills can expose you to additional risks, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Before you try to get a tan, you should learn how and why our skin tans. When a type of radiation (ultraviolet [UV] radiation) is exposed to the skin, the skin responds by producing melanin. Melanin is a dark substance that helps prevent the body from taking in too many harmful sunrays that can damage skin. Basking in the warm glow of the sun can make us feel good, and in the short term, makes us look good. But the cumulative effects of sun exposure put us at higher risk of cellular damage, early wrinkling, age spots, actinic keratoses, and skin cancer -- including melanoma, the most serious type.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 13:18:19 +0000
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