View Cart

UV Tanning

How UV Rays Tan and Damage Skin

Mechanism of UV Tanning

UV light cannot be seen, but its effect on the human skin can.

Whether produced by the sun or a tanning bed, UV light consists of UVA and UVB rays (UVC rays are absorbed by the stratosphere).

Premium tanning bulbs generate more UVA than UVB.
(UVA/UVB ratio = 20)

The sun generates a constant level of UVA throughout the day, but UVB peaks between 10 AM and 4 PM.
(UVA/UVB ratio varies between 10 and 100 during the day)

UVA rays are longer, more dangerous, and penetrate your skin deeper than the shorter UVB rays. These dangerous UVA RAYS CANNOT BE STOPPED BY SUNSCREENS, irrespective of their SPF!! However, UVA rays can be stopped by correct usage of sunblock.

skin

Your skin tans on its outermost layer, the epidermis. About 5% of the cells in your epidermis are special cells called melanocytes; when UVA rays strike the melanocytes, they produce melanin - the pigment ultimately responsible for tanning.

The pinkish melanin travels up through the epidermis and is absorbed by the outer skin cells. When UVB rays strike the melanin the skin oxidizes, or darkens.

This darkening, or "tanning", is your skin's way of protecting itself from too much UV light --- in fact, a tan is a symptom of UV light overdose! The outer skin is continually sloughing "old-dead" cells, replacing them with "new-dead" cells daily; this is why a tan "fades".

Ever wonder why a day in the sun is extremely fatiguing, even if you are just sunbathing? More than 15 minutes of sunlight dramatically suppresses your immune system, making you tired and sleep-deprived.

Although some UV light is necessary for skin nutrient generation, beware! Anything more than 15 minutes of sun or 2 minutes of tanning bed per day is OVEREXPOSURE to UV light and greatly increases your risk of skin cancer!

Dangers of UV Tanning

For a complete understanding of how the sun and tanning beds destroy your skin, you should read the entirety of Wrinkles. However, if you are unable to read Wrinkles in its entirety at this time, PLEASE read the information below:

Our sun provides life-sustaining energy, yet it can literally kill us. Overexposure to UVA rays from the sun or tanning beds cause irreparable skin damage. This skin damage may manifest as premature aging (wrinkled, leathery skin) and/or skin cancer, which may cause premature death. To prevent overexposure, avoid getting more than 15 minutes of midday sunlight or 2 minutes of tanning bed per day.

Skin Cancer -
Overexposure to UV light may cause your melanin to turn cancerous. The cancerous melanin is known as melanoma. In melanoma, the depth of a lesion's penetration is an indicator of its severity.

When caught at an early stage, melanoma is among the most curable cancers. Early stage melanomas are still less than a millimeter thick and confined to the outer layer of skin.

However, melanomas that are diagnosed at a later stage are the deadliest of all cancers and have a 95% morbidity rate. In the later stages, the melanocytes have grown through the skin and underlying fat and traveled to sites beyond.

According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma causes 79% of skin cancer deaths. The majority of skin cancers are less frequently fatal, but are still serious basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas.

Early Detection -
For the best possible outcome, detecting skin cancer early is essential. For self-diagnosis, follow the "ABCD" rubric to determine if an abnormal growth could be cancerous:

  • A- Asymmetry of moles and skin spots occur.
  • B- Borders become irregular or blurred.
  • C- Color becomes uneven or unusual.
  • D- Diameter of mole or spot becomes enlarged.

Prevention -
Everyone knows that too much sun exposure causes wrinkled, leathery skin and can even be deadly! Don't let your short-term quest for a good-looking tan override your concern for long-term health.

  • Avoid overexposure to UV light.
    No more than 15 minutes of midday sunlight or 2 minutes of tanning bed per day.

  • Tan with sunless tanning lotion.
    Sunless tanning lotion is the only safe and effective way to tan.

  • Use sunblock.
    When you must be in the sun, it is important to correctly use a sunblock to block UV rays. Remember, sunscreens and sunless tanning lotions do not block UV rays.
Get wise, get out of the sun, now! You can still get a great tan by using a self tanning lotion like TanSome Sunless Tanning Lotion!