Tanning Myths and Facts

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Myth : It is more harmful to tan in a tanning bed because the UV light exposure is more intense than tanning outdoors.

Fact : This one’s false, as tanning indoors is actually less harmful because it involves a specifically calculated amount of UV exposure as set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This ensures that you are getting the most tan and less burn, compared to tanning outdoors in an environment that is uncontrolled. This specifically calculated amount is listed on the side of each tanning bed.

Myth : Using a tanning bed causes your internal organs to bake, resulting in a distinct odor that you can smell when you’re done.

Fact : UV rays cannot penetrate any deeper than the skin. The strange smell you can notice is just the “after-tan” odor that commonly occurs after indoor or outdoor tanning, and it is caused by harmless bacteria. If the odor is bothering you, you can always buy a tanning lotion with Biosaccharide Complex, for this helps prevent or lessen the odor from tanning.

Myth : Showering after tanning will cause you to lose your tan.

Fact : This is not true, because your tan is actually a reaction of the UV on your skin. The melanin that your skin produces gives you that tanned look, and this process takes between 24 and 48 hours. In some cases, however, it may seem that showering washes off their tan probably because they’re using tanning lotions with bronzers, which do wash off.

Myth : Tanning Beds can hold or transmit STDs

Fact : The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, cannot live outside the body, and therefore cannot be transmitted through tanning beds. The same applies to other viral diseases. In any case, all tanning salons are required by law to clean their tanning beds between users, and most use strong disinfectants in doing so.

Myth : You have to get a sunburn to get a suntan, as burns fade into tans.

Fact : On the contrary, a sunburn, an indicator that you have been overexposed to UV light, does not fade into a tan. As much as possible, people should avoid getting a sunburn, as it could leave skin inflamed, sensitive, dry, chapped and unsightly, not to mention that it can also lead to premature aging and possibly skin cancer.

Myth: It takes the same amount of time for all skin types to tan or burn.

Fact: Not all skin types are created equal. Some people tan or burn more easily than others. Dark-haired and olive-skinned people, for instance, will tan very well and quite easily with minimum exposure to sunlight, while redheads with very fair skin and freckles will burn easily, resulting in peeling and blistering, and not really get any sort of tan at all.

Myth: Tanning causes melanoma

Fact: The link between this type of skin cancer and ultraviolet light is still unclear. Even the FDA concluded during a conference on melanoma in 1995 that there is no clear evidence that tanning causes melanoma. Interestingly enough, there are numerous studies concluding that people who get regular exposure to the sun are less likely to get melanoma than those who stay away from sunlight.

Myth: Lucky are those with medium to dark skin, because they never burn

Fact: All people who get overexposed to UV light get burned, regardless of skin color. While medium to dark-skinned people do tend to tan more easily than lighter-skinned ones, they can still get sunburns if they stay too long under the sun or fail to use any sort of sunscreen effectively.

Myth: Water is a natural sunblock

Fact: Shallow water only offers very minimal protection from UV rays, and does in fact amplify one’s UV exposure through reflections on its surface.

Myth: There is no such thing as a safe tan.

Fact: Regular tanning is safe, as long as sun exposure is kept at a moderate level. As a matter of fact, regular sun exposure offers a number of health benefits. According to a number of studies, your risk of getting breast, colon, prostate and ovarian cancers as well as osteoporosis or even Alzheimer’s disease might actually be lessened by regular sun exposure. The vitamin D that we get from sunlight exposure may also inhibit the formation of internal tumors.