tanning questions
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Fit_mommy
Cathlete
I guess ultimately, as far as your skin is concerned, to apply super strong sunscreen all of the time and/or avoid sun exposure is probably the "healthiest" way to go but let's face it, how mnay of us do that? I sure don't and wouldn't want to! I don't think a tan that is gained by doing outdoor activities with a less then 50 spf sunscreen on is going to do you any real harm.....JHMO though.
materialsgirl
Cathlete
>Is getting a tan
>even though you are using sunscreen that bad???
Yes, it's as bad as any other tan. A tan is a visual indicator of skin damage, and it causes free-radicals and premature aging regardless of whether the tan took 1 hour or 10 hours to develop.
With that said, Wendy's right... how many of us really cover our bodies in SPF 50 from head-to-toe every time we leave the house? Not many of us. Besides, some sun exposure is healthy, as it allows our bodies to produce much-needed Vitamin D. I, personally, like to get a little sun on my skin in the summer - especially my arms and legs, which are always so pasty-white from the winter. That's just me...
>even though you are using sunscreen that bad???
Yes, it's as bad as any other tan. A tan is a visual indicator of skin damage, and it causes free-radicals and premature aging regardless of whether the tan took 1 hour or 10 hours to develop.
With that said, Wendy's right... how many of us really cover our bodies in SPF 50 from head-to-toe every time we leave the house? Not many of us. Besides, some sun exposure is healthy, as it allows our bodies to produce much-needed Vitamin D. I, personally, like to get a little sun on my skin in the summer - especially my arms and legs, which are always so pasty-white from the winter. That's just me...
banslug
Cathlete
I asked this same question last summer, when I took my kids in for their annual check up. Doc commented on how tan we all were, and I told her I use SPF 50 on my kids, and 30 or higher on me. She explained that the SPF blocks the 'bad' rays (I believe UVB) but still allows SOME UV light to hit the skin, resulting in a tan even though you are wearing sunscreen.
Here are some side notes she gave me when I asked....I forget what website I got them from, sorry.
UVA:
Can pass through window glass.
Is not affected by a change in altitude or weather.
Is present all day and every day of the year.
Penetrates deep into skin layers.
Is 5% of the sun's rays.
Is 20 times more abundant than UVB rays.
Affects long-term skin damage
UVB:
Cannot pass through window glass.
Causes sunburn.
Causes tanning.
Helps the body with normal vitamin D production.
Varies with the season. It is more intense in the summer than in the winter.
Varies with weather conditions.
Is more intense at midday than in the morning or late afternoon.
Is more intense at high altitudes and near the equator.
Is 0.5% of the sun's rays.
Is protected against by the sun protection factor (SPF) in sunscreens.
Is related to more than 90% of nonmelanoma skin cancer.
Is related to cataracts.
My disclaimer is that I'm not an expert...this is just what I learned when I asked the Doc!
Gayle
Here are some side notes she gave me when I asked....I forget what website I got them from, sorry.
UVA:
Can pass through window glass.
Is not affected by a change in altitude or weather.
Is present all day and every day of the year.
Penetrates deep into skin layers.
Is 5% of the sun's rays.
Is 20 times more abundant than UVB rays.
Affects long-term skin damage
UVB:
Cannot pass through window glass.
Causes sunburn.
Causes tanning.
Helps the body with normal vitamin D production.
Varies with the season. It is more intense in the summer than in the winter.
Varies with weather conditions.
Is more intense at midday than in the morning or late afternoon.
Is more intense at high altitudes and near the equator.
Is 0.5% of the sun's rays.
Is protected against by the sun protection factor (SPF) in sunscreens.
Is related to more than 90% of nonmelanoma skin cancer.
Is related to cataracts.
My disclaimer is that I'm not an expert...this is just what I learned when I asked the Doc!
Gayle
tneah
Cathlete
I love the look of a tan of course, and we have a boat too! So I will be in the sun this summer alot. But plan on arming myself with sunless tanner, plus SPF of 15 or higher-especially on my chest area which is showing signs of sun damage.:-( It is so tough, years ago, we didn't even think about this...now it seems everything including your water bottle causes cancer, etc...it gets over the top and I feel like I have to walk around paranoid over everything.
i don't purposely tan but i'm outdoors: surfing, boating, running, etc. and so i sweat a lot. even with the sport sunscreens i can't stay on top of it enough to not get any sun. i'm not complaining b/c i love to be tan but i worry about all the effects of the sun. i'm an avid famous daves user. mabe i'm just being too strick with the whole thing.
SirenSongWoman
Cathlete
Last year, I read that most sun damage occurs walking back and forth to one's car in the parking lot at work so I can only imagine what type of damage happens when one spends HOURS in the sun. I drove across several states a few years back wearing shorts and I didn't think the skin on my left thigh would ever return to the softness of the skin on my right. Sun damage FEELS as bad as it looks.
I'm white as a ghost and wear sunscreen on my face and neck year 'round, and sunblock on all other exposed areas in warmer weather. Most people who find out I'm 47 can't believe it -and can't shut up about it when they find out, so count me as a true believer. It IS an expensive hassle, though. When I visited St. Petersburg Russia several years back with my brother and his Russian-born wife I was amazed at the beautiful skin of the native women. Even the much older women. Eastern European women don't tan and they really care for their skin. Russia was just starting to introduce tanning beds when I visited, proving once again that all good things come to an end.
I'm white as a ghost and wear sunscreen on my face and neck year 'round, and sunblock on all other exposed areas in warmer weather. Most people who find out I'm 47 can't believe it -and can't shut up about it when they find out, so count me as a true believer. It IS an expensive hassle, though. When I visited St. Petersburg Russia several years back with my brother and his Russian-born wife I was amazed at the beautiful skin of the native women. Even the much older women. Eastern European women don't tan and they really care for their skin. Russia was just starting to introduce tanning beds when I visited, proving once again that all good things come to an end.
pebblesus
Cathlete
Tanning does, utimitaly thicken the skin giving it the leather look over time.. however many other factors are involved with it's intensity, such as genetics and whatnot.
I have been tanning for years. I do not burn hardly ever (and certainly not intentionally). I wear lotions inside and ALWAYS sunscreen when at the beach.
SunBURNS are the real culprit when it comes to cancers. Burns have deep penetrating rays that reach past the dermal layer of the skin, warp the cell's DNA which, over time can create the tumors you see as cancers. A tan is the bodie's natural depfense to prevent the rays from penetrating far enough to burn, which will happen when your skin does not have enough melanin to release to block the intensity of the rays.
I tan (lightly). My parents both tanned nicely.. my mother actually used to fry in the sun back in the day using margerine (when butter got too expensive lol).. but I don't recommend than
They both sill look pretty good, I know I have genetics to not look too much like a hag.
Also consider the other things that go into looking like a hag besides tanning.. smoking, heavy drinking, obesity and, of course bad eating (if you've ever seen an eposide of "honey we're killing the kids" you'll know what i mean).
OK, I don't want to sound like im endorsing tanning here I don't see anything too bad about a light tan as long as you don't have cancer in your bloodline and you take measures to prevent burning.
SunBLOCK will be better at blocking BOTH rays of the sun, SunSCREEN is good for those like me that do not want to burn, but do not want to sit at the beach all day and not get a light tan.
The SPF you use can be determined by the level of your skin, the burning ability you have and how long you plan to be in the sun.
If you are fair and burn easily, you would want a very high SPF. Believe it or not a lot of sunscreens aren't designed to renew themselves just by being reapplied, they have to be washed off or they lose their potency and the SPF drops. This is why a lot of times you can still burn even when reapplying regularily.
On the flip side if you tan easily and burn rarely you can tolerate a little tan and less sunscreen. I go to he beach and use SPF 4. I tan just a little and don't burn. My cousins on the other hand, we went to the shore last summer and I was dousing them with SPORT SPF 50 every hour when they fell asleep on the beach and they STILL got FRIED! They have no melanin and their skin is translucent. I barely got a tan at all that day and I didn't put the SS on for a good hour.
So your predisposure to sun tans, burns and damage and the level to which you will experience them is genetics (both their parents were pale).
I wouldn't stress if you get a little tan, as long as you like it and it doesn't burn. If you do not want any tan at all then use SUNBLOCK. Just remember that without any tan a all your skin will have no defense against the sun ands if you are out for the picnic, poolparty or at the beach you will be VERY vulnerable to the burning process.. and remembe rthat you burn much easier in the water
Oh.. and "water proof" only means that it will protect you for a while in the water.. it still need to be reapplied regularily when in the water or reapply after intense sweating.
Got a little off topic sorry.. hope it helps!
I have been tanning for years. I do not burn hardly ever (and certainly not intentionally). I wear lotions inside and ALWAYS sunscreen when at the beach.
SunBURNS are the real culprit when it comes to cancers. Burns have deep penetrating rays that reach past the dermal layer of the skin, warp the cell's DNA which, over time can create the tumors you see as cancers. A tan is the bodie's natural depfense to prevent the rays from penetrating far enough to burn, which will happen when your skin does not have enough melanin to release to block the intensity of the rays.
I tan (lightly). My parents both tanned nicely.. my mother actually used to fry in the sun back in the day using margerine (when butter got too expensive lol).. but I don't recommend than
They both sill look pretty good, I know I have genetics to not look too much like a hag.Also consider the other things that go into looking like a hag besides tanning.. smoking, heavy drinking, obesity and, of course bad eating (if you've ever seen an eposide of "honey we're killing the kids" you'll know what i mean).
OK, I don't want to sound like im endorsing tanning here
I don't see anything too bad about a light tan as long as you don't have cancer in your bloodline and you take measures to prevent burning.SunBLOCK will be better at blocking BOTH rays of the sun, SunSCREEN is good for those like me that do not want to burn, but do not want to sit at the beach all day and not get a light tan.
The SPF you use can be determined by the level of your skin, the burning ability you have and how long you plan to be in the sun.
If you are fair and burn easily, you would want a very high SPF. Believe it or not a lot of sunscreens aren't designed to renew themselves just by being reapplied, they have to be washed off or they lose their potency and the SPF drops. This is why a lot of times you can still burn even when reapplying regularily.
On the flip side if you tan easily and burn rarely you can tolerate a little tan and less sunscreen. I go to he beach and use SPF 4. I tan just a little and don't burn. My cousins on the other hand, we went to the shore last summer and I was dousing them with SPORT SPF 50 every hour when they fell asleep on the beach and they STILL got FRIED! They have no melanin and their skin is translucent. I barely got a tan at all that day and I didn't put the SS on for a good hour.
So your predisposure to sun tans, burns and damage and the level to which you will experience them is genetics (both their parents were pale).
I wouldn't stress if you get a little tan, as long as you like it and it doesn't burn. If you do not want any tan at all then use SUNBLOCK. Just remember that without any tan a all your skin will have no defense against the sun ands if you are out for the picnic, poolparty or at the beach you will be VERY vulnerable to the burning process.. and remembe rthat you burn much easier in the water
Oh.. and "water proof" only means that it will protect you for a while in the water.. it still need to be reapplied regularily when in the water or reapply after intense sweating.
Got a little off topic sorry.. hope it helps!
bitmover
Cathlete
I've had melanoma. I'm very lucky it was caught early. If sunscreen doesn't work for you, or maybe even if it does.... wear hats, wear rash guard shirts. It may seem crazy to wear a long sleeve shirt in the summer time, but really, they aren't hot. Cover up your skin! And, maybe more importantly, get your skin checked if you're at all fair-skinned.
-Beth
-Beth
kathryn
Cathlete
>She explained that the SPF blocks the 'bad' rays (I
>believe UVB) but still allows SOME UV light to hit the skin,
>resulting in a tan even though you are wearing sunscreen.
I guess ""bad" depends on your perspective. UVB is bad for skin cancer risk, but UVA are the aging rays (A-aging). I think they're both pretty bad!
>believe UVB) but still allows SOME UV light to hit the skin,
>resulting in a tan even though you are wearing sunscreen.
I guess ""bad" depends on your perspective. UVB is bad for skin cancer risk, but UVA are the aging rays (A-aging). I think they're both pretty bad!