You'll get burned for trying to get a tan

[Editor-in-Chief]

Stamford: You'll get burned for trying to get a tan


BRYANT STAMFORD
Published: 06.18.2007

I had the opportunity to visit extended family members recently, distant cousins and others I see on rare occasions. One member is working at a tanning salon in Arizona.

At first, I thought he was joking. A tanning salon in a state where summer temperatures regularly exceed 110 degrees and clouds are as rare as cool summer breezes? He was serious and was enthusiastic about the valuable service his salon provides.

He explained that because of the intense heat of the day, tanning outdoors is uncomfortable. What's more, in his view, getting a good "base tan" at the salon is the best way to protect the skin from the searing Arizona sun.

He also mentioned the need for sun exposure to produce sufficient vitamin D in the body. He proudly made his case - going to a tanning salon is a wise and healthful thing to do.

These salons apparently are big business in the Southwest, and they serve folks of all ages. I didn't challenge his knowledge on the topic nor his enthusiasm for serving customers. But here's what I was thinking as I listened to his sales pitch.

Every dermatologist I know emphasizes the need to avoid the sun as much as possible and to use a powerful Sun Protection Factor (SPF) lotion and slather it on thickly when going outdoors, even for a brief exposure.

From every angle, tanning outside or in a booth is a bad idea, especially for those with a family history of skin cancer and for those with fair skin who burn easily.

Individuals like me with a history of damaging sunburns (I worked as a lifeguard during my college years) must be especially careful, because the stage for skin cancer may be set from previous damage.


Tan means damage

A tan is the response of the skin to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. UV rays penetrate the skin, causing it to produce more melanin (skin pigment), which darkens the skin.

There are different types of UV rays. UV-B are shorter waves that can burn the outer layer of skin. UV-A are the longer tanning rays that can penetrate more deeply.

This implies that UV-A rays are safe, and UV-B rays should be avoided. This notion has been advanced by tanning salons that tout that their tanning booths emit only, or largely, good UV-A rays while filtering out the bad UV-B rays.

Unfortunately, evidence is growing that UV-A rays are dangerous as well, which means tanning booths may be more dangerous than was once thought. Experts cite several reasons.

One, the penetrating, longer UV-A rays damage the skin, changing the texture, accelerating the aging process and increasing the risk of skin cancer, and especially malignant melanoma, the most dangerous and potentially lethal form of skin cancer.

Two, UV-A rays may weaken the skin, making it more susceptible to burning and serious damage.

Three, the strength of the UV-A rays in a tanning bed may be much higher than those received from the sun. The case against UV-A rays is gaining momentum, which means sun-block lotions with a high SPF (the higher the better) that block both UV-A rays and UV-B are the best choice.

But tanning salons cry foul over such accusations and claim that a clear-cut case regarding the impact of UV-A rays on skin cancer risk has not been made. This, in spite of statistics showing that using a tanning bed more than once a month greatly increases the risk of malignant melanoma.

The relationship between tanning-booth exposure and skin cancer is complicated by the fact that some tanning-bed users also tan outdoors, which could be the cause of the increased risk.
But this argument cuts both ways. If outdoor exposure is the true cause, it casts doubt on the benefits of a base tan from a salon to protect the skin.

Experts suggest that if there is any protective effect from a salon base tan, it is modest at best and certainly is no substitute for sun-block lotions with a high SPF.

What about the benefits of vitamin D production when the skin is exposed to sunlight? There is a benefit, but the skin requires only a modest exposure to make all the vitamin D required, and the amount of sunlight needed can easily be accomplished even in the winter and with only a modest amount of skin exposed.

This is hardly an incentive to use a tanning booth or to bask on the beach all day.

The bottom line
Tanning, like other lifestyle choices such as cigarette smoking, high-fat and high-sugar diets, and sedentary living, places our health in danger.

In addition to skin cancer, extreme exposure to the sun's rays can dampen the immune system, damage the eyes and promote cataracts, and can cause reactions to some medications.

Bryant Stamford is professor and chairman of the department of exercise science at Hanover College in Hanover, Ind. If you have questions or suggestions, write to "The Body Shop," The Courier-Journal, P.O. Box 740031, Louisville, KY 40201-7431

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