No such thing as a “healthy tan”

We should be. A sunburn, especially in childhood, dramatically increases your chances of getting skin cancer. And sun damage over time – including that bronze glow so many strive for – can increase the risk further.

Sun exposure also can cause premature aging of the skin. A recent study from Australia (a hotbed of tanning research) indicates that daily sunscreen application prevents premature aging. For the study, more than 900 people applied sunscreen daily, regardless of their activities. After more than four years, their skin looked 24% better (read: younger) than the group that carried on as usual, casually using sunscreen occasionally or not at all.

We need to start seeing tans for what they are, Cohen says: signs of damage.

“There’s no such thing,” he says, “as a healthy tan.”

Damage from the sun comes from two types of radiation: UVA and UVB. UVB radiation gives us immediate visible effects in the form of burns and tans. Sunscreen lotions protect us against UVB.

UVA radiation is sneaky because it tends not to cause sunburn. And, unlike UVB, UVA rays penetrate window glass and certain clothing, especially light-coloured fabrics and cotton. UVA rays cause damage deeper in the skin, leading to wrinkles and sagging, and increases the risk of skin cancer. Ironically, tanning parlours have long claimed tanning superiority due to their reliance on UVA light.

Some Canadians still visit tanning spas as a “healthy” alternative to the sun and to prepare the skin for a vacation. But so-called “pre-tanning” offers negligible protection, Cohen says, if any.

Your best bet: avoid the sun, cover up or use sunscreen. There are two basic types of sunscreen: physical and chemical. Physical sunscreens, a.k.a. “sunblock,” are opaque formulations with ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide that sit atop the skin and physically reflect or block the sun. Because these substances are not absorbed into the skin, they’re the preferred products for children and for adults with sensitive skin. Sunblocks often are tinted with skin tones or bright colours for kids. As a general rule, sunblocks protect against both UVA and UVB rays.

Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, are absorbed into the skin. Most chemical lotions block only UVB rays, unless indicated otherwise on the bottle. A product might claim to offer “broad spectrum” or UVA/UVB protection because it includes some physical block. But, Cohen warns, it’s not always clear exactly how much protection against UVA rays these products offer.

Mexoryl (the trade name of a chemical agent developed by L’Oréal and available in Ombrelle, Vichy and La Roche Posay suncare lines) often is touted by dermatologists because it protects against both types of rays.

The latest excuse for not using sunscreen is the misconception that the chemicals they use are more dangerous than the sun itself. “There’s no evidence,” Cohen says, “that sunscreens are unhealthy.”

If you are concerned about or sensitive to certain chemicals, he adds, choose physical sunblocks. The key is finding a sunscreen that works for you – and to use it every day, not just on beach days.

And you have to use it properly. Sunscreen must be applied generously to all exposed skin, and it must be reapplied regularly.

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