Healthy Tips: Tanning

So how bad IS tanning?  Well, it depends on where you are tanning. Exposure to UV rays, which is what causes our skin to darken into a tan, varies depending on the location.  If you are getting a tan from working outside in the sun day after day after day its not nearly as bad for you than if you go to the beach a few times a year and get so much sun you burn to a crisp.  Studies have shown that more frequent sunburns related to infrequent sun expose are more damaging to you skin than consistent sun exposure over long periods of time.  This is thought to be related to how our body reacts to the sun and the damage to skin cells caused by sunburns.  Furthermore, tanning beds are by far the worst place to go.  They increase your risk of the rarest and deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma, by up to 75%!  This is related to the intensity of the UV ray exposure present in tanning beds.  Due to this extreme rise in risk with tanning bed use, some states are requiring individuals to be 18 or older in order to go to a tanning salon.  Keep this in mind before you decide you need a little extra color.