Facts and myths about tan

In our culture, a beautiful, golden tan shows a healthy appearance, it is not a captivating one, but rather a great attribute. People with a pale complexion are considered sick and anemic. However, is tanning, both in the sun and in the solarium, healthy and safe? Are reports of faster skin aging and susceptibility to cancer true? Let’s try to refute the most common myths associated with tanning.

Myth 1 – tan is healthy.

Our society still associates skin color with health issues: tanned skin looks healthy and pale means disease and anemia but nothing could be more wrong. In fact, tan is a kind of protective colors of the body. Which in this way defends itself against harmful solar radiation. Of course, this does not mean that tanning is completely prohibited. Already during the first dozen or so minutes of exposure to solar radiation, our body produces very important vitamin D. It has a number of important functions in our bodies.

Myth 2 – pre-tanning protects against burns.

Quite a common claim is that pre-tanning (in a solarium or in the sun). Against prolonged tanning will protect the skin against sunburn and cancer. This is obviously a myth. Tan gives the skin a little protection compared to the dose of radiation that we get on the beach. Don’t forget! Rule number one: never burn your skin. Don’t forget about sunblock creams – especially those for the face and delicate eye area. You have to use them every few hours.

Myth 3 – you can’t get burned on a cloudy day.

This is not entirely true because it all depends on the type of clouds occurring on a given day. On a slightly cloudy day, the rays penetrate up to 80%. You can not count on the fact that the clouds will protect our skin from burns.

Myth 4 – vitamin D from the solarium.

Solarium enthusiasts may not be comforted, but vitamin D is formed under the influence of UVB waves, which are very limited in the solarium. Of course, vitamin D plays a huge role in the functioning of the body. It strengthens the immune system and is necessary for proper bone formation. However, for the body to produce a sufficient dose of this vitamin, it would be necessary to spend about 15 minutes a day in the sun. Don’t forget to discover at least 20% of the skin. However, nobody consciously controls it. In this case, it is better to use supplementation, which is still necessary in the autumn and winter. sunbathing