Tanning Myths Debunked

1. Base Tans
Many people claim that "base tans" can prevent type of damage to your skin from the sun. This is plain wrong, because whenever your skin becomes tanner than its original color, it’s already been damaged and exposed to potentially harmful UV rays. Remember, there is no such thing as a healthy tan.

2. Tanning beds are safer than tanning out in the Sun
According to recent studies, tanning beds actually produce highly concentrated UV radiation, more than what you would get when you’re outside. Tanning beds actually increase your risk of getting melanoma.

3. The best way to obtain Vitamin D is by tanning
You can get your daily dose of Vitamin D from dietary sources. Fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon, dairy products like cheese and milk, are all fantastic sources of vitamin D. You can also get your daily vitamin D dosage from supplements found in stores.

4. Tanning doesn’t wrinkle up your skin
Tanning actually speeds up the aging process of your skin, and produces wrinkles a lot sooner. Prolonged tanning over the years can actually make your skin look leathery, dry and shriveled due to the damage it has accumulated from being exposed to the sun so much.

5. Tanning does not cause cancer
One really bad sunburn can double your chances of developing melanoma later on in life. Excessive exposure to the Sun’s harmful rays can also result in cancers like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma Remember that everyone is at risk for developing skin cancer, regardless of skin type.