Thanks to the sun, there’s one thing that humans cannot get rid of easily: skin tanning. In India, a country slightly north of the equator, the people are not as pale as compared to the people in the countries in the northern hemisphere. We need an un-tanning solution more than a tanning solution. Yes, skin tan from the sun can be harmful.
Our elders have a common notion that when you lack vitamin D, you need to go out in the sun for a sufficient amount of time to make up for the deficiency. That fact being partially correct, the early morning sun between 6am-8am in the morning is a good source of vitamin D; anything beyond that is just a call for a skin disease.
When you’re exposed to the UV rays of the sun, a minuscule amount of it is good for the skin. However, when our skin is over-exposed to the sun, our skin produces melanin to protect it from further damage. Skin tanning from tanning salons is 15% more harmful than the sun as it produces UV rays 15 times more than the sun.
We can all agree that we need to take care of our skin more and avoid causing any harm to it. Here are a few reasons why you need to take care of that skin tan:
- Extra skin tan does not mean more vitamin D
Yes, the sun is a source of vitamin D; extra exposure to the sun is not. Your skin just gets darker, which may seem like a good thing for now, but has harmful effects in the long-run. If you’re looking for a source of vitamin D, try some supplements or food that can help your curb that problem.
- There are higher chances of Melanoma
When you’re exposed to the sun more than the ideal amount, your skin continues to produce the pigment – melanin. Melanin is a good thing; it’s protecting your skin. But, too much of melanin production can lead to melanoma in the future. Skin cancer like Melanoma can kill you in 50 minutes. Whether the exposure to UV rays is natural or artificial, 1.5 people die from Melanoma.
- Causes potential loss of eyesight
There have been cases where people lose their eyesight because they refused to wear safety goggles during the tanning process. You are more prone to eye cancer and cataracts because of extra exposure to UV rays. No, it’s not a joke.
- Then there’s premature wrinkling
Skin tanning changes the texture of your skin. That girl over there is glowing now because of her new and artificially tanned skin. In reality, a few years down the line her skin will be all wrinkled and leathery instead of looking younger as it loses its elasticity over time and premature wrinkles begin to surface.
- Skin tanning is more dangerous for smokers
Smokers are already prone to lung cancer, but with artificial skin tanning in the equation, you’re more inclined to skin cancer than the average non-smoker. Why? Because artificial skin tanning is equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes, based on a study done by skincancer.org.
- 6. Sunburn damages skin cells
Natural or artificial sunburn does not mean extra melanin either. Sunburn causes your skin cells to die; making it more prone to skin cancer. Melanoma is not the only skin cancer to worry about. It can cause other types of skin cancer too.
- 7. Affects your immunity
Artificial tanning can interfere with the proper functioning of the body. The UVB rays that are released during the process lower your skin’s natural defenses and can make you vulnerable to diseases.
- 8. Tanning salons are more dangerous than sun-tan
It is addictive. It releases endorphins that make you feel good about your skin every time, but in the long-run, it can kill your faster than the UV rays from the sun.
Awareness about the effects of skin tanning in India is still minimal. There are ways to reverse the effects of a skin tan. However, the decision to do so needs to be done at an earlier stage.
