Sunless Tanning By John Maguire

What is sunless tanning?

How does your skin tan? The Sun emits radiation in two forms UVB & UVA UVB is the type that hits the top layers of the skin and burns UVA causes tanning by penetrating deeper into the epidermis and trigger cells called melanocytes Melanocytes produce the brown pigment melanin Tanning is the skins response to injury

Cancer Excessive tanning leads to skin cancer UVA rays damage the immune system and lead to illness called melanoma UVB rays can cause types of skin cancer called basal and Squamous cell Carcinoma (found in the face and neck) Each year there are 170,000 reported cases of skin cancer each year.

Myths about tanning Vitamin D Getting a base tan will protect me in the sun

Facts Indoor tanning before age 35 makes you 75% more likely to get melanoma Every year 2.3 million teen’s visit tanning salons Avoid tanning pills is no scientific proof that they work and are not approved by the government. Medications and sun reflectors are factors in sun exposure.

How to be safe in the sun Always wear an spf of at least 15 and re apply every 1.5-2 two hours Take breaks form the sun. The strongest rays are from 10am-4p,

The tanning business Since this evidence about tanning backed by the CDC has came out tanning beds have become much less popular. In contrast the market for sunless tanning has improved greatly Active chemical Dihydroxyactone (DHA) extracted from sugar cane plant. Acts with the dead outter layers of the skin to stain it a darker color. However they do not protect against sunburn.

Referances http://www.everydayhealth.com/blog/zimney-health- and-medical-news-you-can-use/good-and-bad-news- about-sunless-tanning/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/04/tanning- beds-cancer_n_1941023.html http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/indoor_tanni ng.htm http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/safebasics/tanning.html #