Beauty Tips©

SUNTANS AND SUNBURNS

Many lightly pigmented people believe that they look better with suntan. Almost everyone experiences a feeling of well-being when warmed by the sun. Yet the beneficial effects of sunbathing are almost nil, and there are in fact adverse effects.

If you insist on getting on a tan, there are several safety measures to take. Human skins vary greatly in the amount of sun they can tolerate. Dark-skinned individuals have more immunity to sunburn than fair-skinned. Yet even the person who tans well must be careful to avoid sunburn at the beginning of the summer. The key is to start with short periods of exposure and work up to longer periods. If you have light skin, the first exposure early in the season should not exceed 15 to 20 minutes for each side, front and back. If you begin tanning later in the season, the length of first exposure should be even shorter. You can increase the exposure by about one-third each day. After a few days, exposures of several hours may be possible. Rays are reflected from sand and water, which means that you can burn even while sitting under an umbrella. You can burn on a hazy day, as well.

Suntans preparations are of varying value. Many lotions contain chemicals called sunscreens, which absorb and block ultraviolet rays to some degree. The better lotions allow you to stay in the sun longer. They do not shut out all the radiation: otherwise you would never tan. Despite the claims of advertisements, there is no way to screen out the "burning rays" of the sun while admitting the "tanning rays" since they are one and the same. Read the label before purchasing any preparation. Suntan lotions must be reapplied at least every two hours or after each swim. A word of caution-commercial sunburn preparations contain ingredients that may cause allergic skin reactions.

Those who like to tan very deeply every year should be aware of several possible effects of extreme long-term sun exposure. One is the development of premature wrinkles caused by the aging effects of ultraviolet rays on the skin. The skin may eventually look many years older than its true age. Another possible result is the development of skin cancer. Skin cancer is most common on the constantly exposed parts of the skin, such as face, neck, and ears. It is more common among people who suntan with difficulty than among those who tan easily.