Now is a good time to clear up some of the myths about suntanning.
First, a few good things about sunshine: It can help fightdepression, provide the body with Vitamin D, improve a person's overallwell-being and encourage healthy activity like exercise.
But, like anything, too much of it is a bad thing.
Suburban dermatologists, along with the American Academy ofDermatology, helped us debunk the myths:
- Myth: It's good to have a healthy tan.There's no such thing as a "healthy tan," says Dr. Robert Septon, adermatologist with offices in Libertyville, Gurnee and Buffalo Grove,Ill. Being tan means your skin is mounting a defense to ultra-violetlight damage. Skin does this by changing color and thickening.
"A tan means that you've had damage to the skin byultra-violet light," Septon said. "Maybe a tan implies that you've beendoing some healthy activities, but the tan itself is not healthy."
- Myth: Old sunscreens are just as effective asnew ones. Technology has infiltrated the sunscreen business.So toss out that 15-year-old bottle and buy some new stuff.
Prior to 1989, sunscreen did not include certainultraviolet-ray-absorbing compounds that are important skin protectors.Now it does. There also are new water- and sweat-proof formulas thatstay on longer.
Myth: Putting on lots of sunscreen at the startof the day will last you all day long. Not true. One ofSepton's patients recently did this before he went skiing in Colorado.The man put on sunscreen in the morning and then skied all day. Hewound up with a serious sunburn on his face. Septon said it happenedbecause the sunscreen wore off.Even sweat-proof and waterproof sunscreen is only good fora limited time. The rule is to re-apply sunscreen every three hours, oreven more frequently when sweating or swimming. And use "way more than you think you need," said Dr. MartaVanBeek, an assistant professor of dermatology at the University ofIowa. "When people put on sunscreen, they really only put on enough togarner half the SPF that's on the bottle," she said. Myth: As long as I'm wearing sunscreen, it'sfine to stay in the sun as long as I want to. People usesunscreen in order to stay out in the sun longer, which itself cancreate problems and increase the risk of cancer. While sunscreen willhelp protect against the dangerous solar rays, it is no guarantee forkeeping your skin safe."It can give someone a false sense of protection," ElkGrove Village, Ill., dermatologist Robert Polisky said. Dermatologists advise that you limit sun exposure wheneverpossible, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when thesun's rays are the strongest.
Myth: Skin cancer is a rare form of cancer.Not any more. Over half of all new cancers are skin cancers, and anestimated 1 million new cases will be diagnosed in the United Statesthis year, according to the AAD. No one is sure exactly what has causedthe increase in skin cancer cases, but a few dermatologists believe ithas to do with the thinning ozone layer and increased educationefforts. Myth: Dark-skinned people don't get sunburned.They can still get sunburned, but it's less likely because their skincontains some natural SPF qualities. Fair-skinned Caucasians are muchmore likely to get burns and skin cancers, according to the AAD. Evenpeople who freckle, rather than burn, are showing signs of damage."That's the body's response to a solar injury," Poliskysaid. "People might think it's so adorable, but it's not good." Myth: I can't get sunburns on areas covered byclothes. It's unusual, but it happens. Sun-sensitive peoplehave been known to get burned through T-shirts. An average shirt or hatprovides SPF 6 protection. Several brands of sun-repellant clothing arenow on the market, made with tightly woven fabrics so they provide SPF40 protection. Local dermatologists say such clothes only help verylight-skinned Caucasians. The average person doesn't need them.Clothing doesn't always provide full coverage. Forexample, someone wearing a baseball hat might think he's protecting hishead, but he's leaving ears and neck exposed. So keep the hat on, butmake sure you put sunscreen on your neck and ears.
Myth: Anything over SPF 30 is useless and willjust clog your pores. Not true. For people who spend a lot oftime outdoors or have light complexions, the more SPF, the better.Polisky said SPF gives you 10 times as much time in thesun as you would have without sunscreen. So, for example, if you wouldnormally burn in 10 minutes and you're wearing SPF 10, you'll have 100minutes in the sun before you burn. Polisky recommends using a moisturizer with an SPF 15 on adaily basis. It's not necessary to spend a lot of money on it;drugstore brands like Oil of Olay, Aveeno or Solbar Gel will do thejob. "No one should use less than SPF 15," said Oak Brook,Ill., dermatologist Marianne O'Donoghue. "A lot of people think morethan a 15 will put harmful chemicals on their skin. But if someone hasreally light skin, a 35, or even up to a 48, is fine." Myth: A tanning bed is safer than the sun.The ultraviolet rays in a tanning bed are weaker than the sun's, butthey also go deeper into your skin, which can cause more long-termdamage, dermatologists say."A tanning bed can burn you, too. There just aren't anyimmediate consequences," Septon said. Polisky advises against using tanning beds because theradiation levels are of an "unknown quantity." In other words, thenumbers on the dials aren't always what's coming out of the tubes, hesaid. "After the beds warm up, they put out more ultraviolet. Soif you're the first guy who comes, you're not getting as much as theguy at the end of the day, since the bed is already warm," Poliskysaid. Source: DailyHerald; Arlington Heights, Ill. Powered by YellowBrix, Inc.
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