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 Going to the Dark Side... In ancient times, people used to worship the sun and it was thought of as a God. Worshipping the sun these days can get you into trouble. This year, over 1.3 million people will be diagnosed with skin cancer. That staggering figure translates to one American dying of skin cancer every hour. Skin cancer is stemming from tanning beds, sun lamps and the sun exposure. Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB) are two harmful types of radiation that literally destroy skin cells.   UVA is the type of radiation known for causing painful sunburns while UVB radiation penetrates much deeper into the skin and does most of the damage. Due to the deep penetration from sunlight, tanned skin may tighten and look firmer. Those results are only temporary. Years later, the skin loses elasticity and will become loose and saggy. You’ll have skin that looks older than you! Deep skin wrinkles are also associated with tanning. Many teens think that if they tan only in their teens, they’ll skip the risks that go along with tanning. Not true. Eighty percent of skin damage occurs in people under eighteen. Take a look at this chart and see where you fit in: If you fall under “pale white” and “white (1)” you are at the greatest risk for skin damage. The lower your skin type on the chart, the better off your chances of not getting sun damage. The rules that have been drilled into your head about sun tanning may go something like this: A study done by Boston University reported that only 34 percent of teens wear sunscreen regularly. There’s no excuse not to wear sunscreen especially since there are hundreds of types to choose from. There are sunscreens that absorb quickly, are scented, have glitter in them, allow some tanning and others that act as a bronzer. With all of the different types of sunscreens, everyone is surely to find one to fit their tastes. If you do want to get a safe tan, there are many great alternatives! Tans “in a bottle” are made with better formulas than when they first appeared on the market so the products don’t give users an orange look. About.com lists their top five sunless tanners as Neutrogena Instant Bronze, Environmental Shield Self Tanner, Clinique Self-Tanning Body Mist, Clarins Instant Self Tanning Gel and Bain de Soleil StreakGuarde Self-Tanning Cream. You’ll find some of these products in stores and others by surfing the web. Self-tanners are relatively easy to apply and last anywhere from five to seven days depending on how many showers you take. When using these products, you do have to be careful when you apply them or you’ll end up with streaks. Airbrush tanning has become increasingly popular in recent years. Check your local phone book for a salon that offers airbrush tanning. For a session of airbrush tanning, take along a swimsuit. Inside a booth, a hose-like machine will spritz the tanning solution on your body. The upside to airbrush tanning is that it colors evenly and doesn’t look fake. The drawback is that it can be expensive; some salons charge $35 a tan. Keep in mind that even one sunburn can lead to skin problems down the road. Stay out of the sun and indulge in self-tanners, you won’t be sorry that you did. If you want more information on tanning damage, check out www.safesun.com
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