Tanning beds might seem like a great way to make your skin golden without exposure to harmful UV rays. However, artificial tanning comes with many dangers.

Misconceptions About Tanning Beds

Tanning beds are not 100% safe. Ample evidence shows that the UVA light used in tanning beds is as harmful as the rays which come from the sun.

Don't Use Tanning Beds

There are two types of UV light: UVA & UVB. UVB stimulates the production of vitamin D and can cause your skin to tan or burn relatively quickly. In contrast, UVA does not stimulate vitamin D and takes much longer to promote tanning or burning. Unlike UVB, UVA rays penetrate deeper into your skin and can have dangerous side-effects.

These side-effects can include cancerous and non-cancerous melanomas, premature aging of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma, and even immune system suppression.

Healthy Exposure To UVB Rays & Sun Based Skin Care

Stay hydrated

The best way to ensure that your skin is not damaged from prolonged exposure to harmful UV rays is to moderate your time in direct sunlight. Many doctors recommend 10-15 minutes of exposure to direct sunlight per day for your skin to produce a healthy amount of vitamin D.

We recommend taking extra caution and avoid direct sun between 10am and 3pm. The risk of burning drops considerably before 10am and after 3pm.

If you are unable to moderate your time in the sun, make sure you are drinking enough water to keep your skin hydrated. We recommend drinking half of your body weight in ounces per day to keep your body properly hydrated in direct sunlight.

Next, you should make sure that you’re consuming enough high quality fat to provide your body with the materials it needs to build strong cell membranes. It’s important to consume a balanced amount of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids as well as a sufficient amount of saturated fat. Despite what you may have hears, saturated fat is not the cause of heart disease.

Great sources of saturated fats are avocados, walnuts, almonds, coconut, and olives.

Proper Sunscreens & Sunscreen Applications

Jane Iredale Sunscreen

Exposure to UVA rays accounts for almost ninety-percent of the symptoms from premature skin aging. This statistic alone shows us that the most important skin care product is sunscreen. There are many sunscreens on the market, but few actually repel harmful ultra-violet radiation away from your skin. Dr Robinson’s compliment of skin care sunscreens have SPF ratings of at least 15 and contain Avobenzone, Titanium Dioxide, and Zinc Dioxide to help your skin defend itself from harmful UVA rays.

Sunburn

Most sunburns occur when sunscreen is present. This is typically due to an inadequate amount of sunscreen being applied before exposure to the sun. Typically, only 25-50% of what is necessary to block harmful UV rays is applied. Your skin cannot properly defend itself if only a quarter or half of the recommended amount is applied before prolonged exposure to the sun.

Additionally, 20-30 minutes is strongly recommended to allow the sunscreen to be properly absorbed by your skin, so it should be applied half-an-hour before long-term sun exposure. Sunscreen should be the last product applied before exposure to the sun.

Alternatives To Sun Based Tanning

Jan Marini & Jane Iredale Self Tanning Products

If you are adamant about tanning this summer, spray tanning and self applied tanners are the safest method. Self tanners and bronzers have the darkening effect associated with sun-based tanning without the dangerous side effects.

Dr Robinson’s office carries a full range of healthy self-tanning products. Call or email us today for a free consultation on which product is right for you.