Tanning

How Tanning Happens
The sun's rays contain two types of ultraviolet radiation that reach your skin: UVA and UVB. UVB radiation burns the upper layers of skin (the epidermis), causing sunburns. UVA radiation is what makes people tan. UVA rays penetrate to the lower layers of the epidermis, where they trigger cells called **melanocytes** (pronounced: mel-**an**-oh-sites) to produce **melanin**. Melanin is the brown pigment that causes tanning. Melanin is the body's way of protecting skin from burning. Darker-skinned people tan more deeply than lighter-skinned people because their melanocytes produce more melanin. But just because a person doesn't burn does not mean that he or she is also protected against skin cancer and other problems.

Tanning Downsides
UVA rays may make you tan, but they can also cause serious damage. That's because UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin than UVB rays. UVA rays can go all the way through the skin's protective epidermis to the dermis, where blood vessels and nerves are found. Because of this, UVA rays may damage a person's immune system, making it harder to fight off diseases and leading to illnesses like **melanoma**, the most serious (and deadly) type of skin cancer. Melanoma can kill. If it's not found and treated, it can quickly spread from the skin to the body's other organs. Skin cancer is epidemic in the United States, with more than 1 million new cases diagnosed annually. Although the numbers of new cases of many other types of cancer are falling or leveling off, the number of new cases of melanoma is growing. In the past, melanoma mostly affected people in their fifties or older, but today dermatologists see patients in their twenties and even late teens with this type of cancer. Experts believe this is partly due to an increase in the use of tanning beds and sun lamps, which have high levels of UVA rays. Doctors also think that UVB rays play a role in the development of melanoma. That's because a sunburn or intense sun exposure may increase a person's chances of developing this deadly cancer. Exposure to UVB rays also increases your risk of getting two other types of skin cancer: **basal** and **squamous cell carcinoma**. The main treatment for skin cancers is excision — cutting the tumors out. Since many basal or squamous cell carcinomas are on the face and neck, surgery to remove them can leave people with facial scars. The scars from surgery to remove melanomas can be anywhere on the body, and they're often large. Cancer isn't the only problem associated with UV exposure. UVA damage to the dermis is the main factor in premature skin aging. To get a good idea of how sunlight affects the skin, look at your parents' skin and see how different it is from yours. Much of that is due to sun exposure, not the age difference! UV rays can also lead to another problem we associate with old people: the eye problem cataracts.

[[image:http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/safety/safebasics/images_48970/T_vitaminDTheSunshineVitamin.gif]]Sun Smarts
Staying out of the sun altogether may see to be the only logical answer. But who wants to live like a hermit? The key is to enjoy the sun sensibly, finding a balance between sun protection and those great summer activities like beach volleyball and swimming. Sunscreens or sunblocks, which block the sun's harmful rays, are one of your best defenses against sun damage because they protect you without interfering with your comfort and activity levels. The SPF number on a sunscreen shows the level of protection it gives. Sunscreens with a higher SPF number provide more defense against the sun's damaging UV rays. Here are some tips to enjoy the great outdoors while protecting your skin and eyes from sun damage.
 * Wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 every day, even on cloudy days and when you don't plan on spending much time outdoors. Wearing sunscreen every day is essential because as much as 80% of sun exposure is incidental — the type you get from walking your dog or eating lunch outside. If you don't want to wear a pure sunscreen, try a moisturizer with sunscreen in it, but make sure you put on enough.
 * Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Ideally, it should also be hypoallergenic and noncomedogenic so it doesn't cause a rash or clog your pores and give you acne.
 * Apply sunscreen thickly and frequently. If you're not sure you're putting on enough, switch to one with a higher SPF. Regardless of the SPF, always reapply sunscreen after a couple of hours. Most broad-spectrum sunscreens are more effective at blocking UVB rays than UVA rays. So even if you don't get a sunburn, UVA rays could still be doing unseen damage to your skin.
 * Reapply sunscreen every 2 to 3 hours and after swimming or sweating. In the direct sun, wear a sunscreen with a higher SPF, like SPF 30. While playing sports, use sunscreen that's waterproof and sweatproof.
 * Take frequent breaks. The sun's rays are strongest between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. During those hours, take breaks to cool off indoors or in the shade for a while before heading out again.
 * Wear a hat with a brim and sunglasses that provide almost 100% protection against ultraviolet radiation.
 * You probably know that water is a major reflector of UV radiation — but so is snow. Snow skiing and other winter activities carry significant risk of sunburn, so always apply sunblock before hitting the slopes.
 * Certain medications, such as antibiotics used to treat acne and birth control pills, can increase your sun sensitivity. Ask your doctor whether your medications might have this effect and what you should do.
 * Avoid tanning "accelerators" or tanning pills that claim to speed up the body's production of melanin or darken the skin. There's no proof that they work and they aren't approved by government agencies for tanning purposes.