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Bust Tanning Myths And Have A Safe Tan

The custom of tanning is highly popular among western
societies. Recent studies from several sources have come up
with reasons to discourage the practice of tanning as it runs
the risk of the person getting cancer. This is because the
tanning method actively damages the DNA of the individual and
causes mutations to occur in the cells of the individual.
Besides this risk, tanning also leads to a blocking of the
body's natural anti- depressants and thus runs the increased
risk of getting cancer. Nevertheless, the growing evidence of
linkages between cancer and tanning have not led to a complete
ban of tanning.

Several myths are propagated in support of the case for tanning
and these myths have done much groundwork leading to the
continuation of tanning under artificial conditions.

One of the common myths prevalent is the belief that tanning is
healthy because it protects the body from sunburn. This is
totally baseless observation by the pro tanning lobby. The myth
relies on the idea that the tan is the body's natural way of
preventing UV rays from penetrating into the skin and thus
reduces the risk of getting skin cancer. This is not the actual
fact as the tan over a white skin acts as much of a sunscreen as
an SPF4 strength sunscreen. Even to protect skin under normal
conditions in the sun, one is recommended the use of SPF 15
sunscreen strength. Thus this weak protection of tanning,
equivalent only to SPF 4 strength, is too weak to help.

Also, it is necessary to know that sunburn is a long term
effect and that it does not immediately surface on the skin. So
the belief that if the skin feels cool immediately after a dip
in the sea, it will not sunburn is again a false belief. This
is a false belief considering the fact that sunburn is a
continuing process and a cumulative process that ultimately
surfaces as the effect of sunburn. Thus the idea that staying
out in the sun for a longer time when under water is not as
harmful as being on the beach for the same amount of time, is
totally mythical. Sun bathing, for longer hours even with
breaks in between, will not stop the sunburn from taking place
as water is not an agent that can prevent the harmful effects
of sunburn.

Many a time people make it a habit of staying out in the
outdoors on a day that is cloudy under the belief that tanning
effects will be reduced as the sun is clouded over and sunburn
cannot take place. Although the radiation is partially reduced
on a partially cloudy day, the cumulative effect of exposure to
the sun, albeit in spasms of cloudiness, is likely to have its
cumulative effect, though the radiation effects would be
reduced somewhat.

For many bathers at resorts by the sea side, tanning experience
is continued, propped by the myth circulated that tanning and
bathing are a correct mix as water is a perfect sunblock and
sunburn cannot take place if one bathes and then relaxes on the
beach. This is a wrong idea because shallow water affords
minimal protection from the sun's harmful rays and some believe
that it even enhances UV rays exposure.

As a way out of all these contradictions, the common myth is
that tanning can be kept safe and healthy provided one covers
the exposed skin with a sunscreen lotion before going out under
the sun. The sunscreen protection, one must remember, is only a
partial protection as it cannot be applied all over the face.
The eyes cannot be covered with sunscreen and one needs to
protect them differently. Sun glasses are not meant to be a
protection from UV rays and thus the skin around the eyes
becomes a vulnerable area during tanning.

Besides as one tends to sweat in the sun and swimming in the
water tends to wear off the effect of the sunscreen lotion, the
chances of exposure to the sun even while consciously tanning
with an eye on safety and protection comes to light. The loss
of protection despite wearing a sunscreen lotion for protection
is thus not enough and the myth does nothing to counter this
genuine problem.

Hence the person opting for tanning must be conscious of the
hazards involved and not continue to believe in myths without
checking them out thoroughly.


About The Author: Olga Sen writes articles on a different
topics. For more information on tanning visit
http://www.easy-tanning.com and for additional tanning articles
visit the following article page
http://www.easy-tanning.com/index.html To comment on this
article visit: http://www.easy-tanning.com/tanningbeds

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