Heading to the beach or pool? Here's what you need to know about sunscreen and tanning.
Summer vacation is in full swing, and for scores of people across the Northern Hemisphere, that means trips to the beach or pool.
While achieving a "sun-kissed" tan is on many a summer bucket list, health experts are warning not to ditch the sunscreen in an attempt to get your desired results more quickly.
"Tanned skin is not a sign of healthy skin," dermatologist Lindsey Zubritsky, M.D., tells USA TODAY. "Tanning is your body's attempt to produce more melanin to protect your skin from further DNA damage."
Here's what you need to know about sunscreen and tanning before your next sunny outing.
Does sunscreen prevent tanning?
The short answer: Yes, when it's used correctly. The longer answer: That's a good thing.
"Sunscreen works to reduce the amount of UV exposure to your skin," Zubritsky explains.
Excessive UV exposure is responsible for more than 90% of skin cancers, according to Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health. Getting one severe sunburn prior to adulthood more than doubles the chance of developing skin cancer later in life, and getting more than five sunburns can double your risk of developing melanoma, a less common but more deadly form of skin cancer.
Research has shown that roughly 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, and experts estimate one in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer at some point in their life, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.
But, Zubritsky adds, "even in a perfect scenario, most SPFs do not block 100% of UV rays from touching our skin, so there is still a risk that we can tan even when applying sunscreen, especially if sunscreens aren't used according to their instructions."
How to tan faster
Refraining from using sunscreen isn't the answer to quick tanning, experts say.
For an even faster — and safer — tan process, Zubritsky recommends getting a spray tan or purchasing sunless tanning products, such as over-the-counter self-tanners.
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While self-tanning products are considered safer than spray tans or natural tans, some concerns have arisen surrounding dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is the ingredient in fake tanning products that gives skin a brown pigment. But it's approved by the Food and Drug Administration for topical use, and medical experts say that when applied to the top layer of skin, it's unlikely to cause any major concerns.
Zubritsky also notes that there's no truth to the idea that getting a "base tan" before vacation is safer: "This will not protect your skin from burning or further DNA damage," she says.