Tan skin is pretty much a stable thing in the commercial beauty ideal. It has been around for years, and I'm quite sure that paleness won't take its throne in the near future. While it certainly doesn't look bad at all, is it really good for us? In this post I am going to introduce you to the other side of tanning.
Look at that and you'll never want to be tan ever again
To put it very simply, the radiation of the sun consists of two components, infrared and ultraviolet radiation. Infrared radiation warms up the earth, and our skin when we let the sun shine on us. Apart from being nice and warm, infrared radiation is harmless.
Ultraviolet rays on the other hand, raise some concerns. The three kinds of ultraviolet radiation are:
- UVA
- UVB
- UVC
All of them can be dangerous and can cause problems. Now let's have a closer look!
UVC radiation is almost completely filtered by the Earth's atmosphere so this one is the least dangerous. In comparison to that, UVA and UVB radiation reaches the surface of the Earth in considerable amounts and can be blamed for 90% of the problems in connection with sun exposure.
UVB radiation is responsible for sunburn. It affects the outer layers of the skin and it can cause direct DNA damage.
UVA radiation is the one that can penetrate deep into the skin, and by producing free radicals it can cause indirect DNA damage.
What many people don't realize is that when our skin becomes tan, it is actually a defense mechanism for it, triggered by the damage that has been caused by the harmful rays. A tan skin is one that is not benefiting from tanning but rather screams for help and tries to defend itself.
For the above reason ultraviolet radiation is considered an environmental carcinogen, because by direct or indirect DNA damage it can cause cancer.
If this is not enough, you should know (perhaps from my previous post) that free radicals make our body age. As UV rays penetrate our skin they produce free radicals which, in exchange, make our skin wrinkly and inelastic. You may be surprised, but among the factors of what make elderly people's skin wrinkly, UV rays are number one. Just imagine that all the wrinkles of your grandparents are not simply products of old age but actually sun-damage!
Common Myths About Tanning
- If it's not excessive, it is not harmful.
Wrong! Even the tiniest tan is the sign of your skin being damaged, just as I said above! It is like saying that if someone shoots at you with a machine gun, it is okay if some bullets reach you. While sunlight is necessary for D-vitamin production, there are many more, safer sources for that.
- In winter or when it's cloudy, the sun can't harm us
Wrong! When there is visible light from the sun, we can be sure that there is ultraviolet radiation too.
- A sunbed is a safe alternative for tanning
Very wrong! Sunbeds are even more dangerous as they bombard you with many times as much radiation as the sun would, in a short time and very concentrated. Have you ever seen an over-tanned lady whose favorite pastime activity is to lay in a sunbed? Have you seen those nasty wrinkles already developing? Think about that when you are using a sunbed next time!
If you want to delve further into the topic, watch this eye-opening interview with the beautiful (and pale) Nicola Roberts and watch the documentary with her, "The Truth About Tanning" shown on BBC Three!
Stay tuned for my post about how you can protect your skin from the sun!
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