Avoid this common myth and your skin will look healthier longer.
Everyone figures that easing into sun exposure slowly can train skin not to burn.
They couldn’t be more wrong.
Photo:Anastasiia Krivenok/Getty Images
The idea of a base tan offering protection from sunburn is a dangerous myth.
When your skin darkens, its producing more melanin to defend itself from UV rays, she explains.
But that defense is weakand the damage is already being done.
The idea of sun-kissed skin doesn’t sound so sexy anymore.
For comparison,dermatologists recommend SPF 30 every single day.
And the long-term risks?
Confession Time: I Used a Tanning Bed for Prom
Yep.
Like a lot of us, I thought looking tan meant looking hot.
Now, I know better.
Thatglowcame with a pricewrinkles,dark spots, and a higher risk of skin cancer.
Want the Glow Without the Damage?
Heres How
Heres the good news: you could still get that JLo glow without hurting your skin.
I recommend usinga sunless tannerwith dihydroxyacetone (DHA), says Dr. McDonald.
These products temporarily stain the top layer of your skinno UV exposure required.
I keep one in my beauty stash at all times.
Her advice: wear a broad-spectrum SPF 30 (or higher!)
every single day, and reapply every two hours when youre outside.
But healthy skin looksand feelsbetter in the long run.
So go ahead, enjoy that sunshine.
Just dont skipthe SPF, and leave that base tan in the past where it belongs.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.The Surgeon Generals Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer.
Washington, DC: U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General; 2014
