Now that we are in the midst of summer and the sun is beating down on all of our backs, everyone is in search of one of the most apparent aspects of the summer body: the perfect tan. However, while there isn’t anything wrong with getting a nice tan, it’s important to remember that there are safety precautions that need to be followed to stay safe. After all, the UV rays from the sun are powerful, and can be incredibly damaging to your skin and personal health if you aren’t careful. Here are some safety tips to remember when tanning…

Don’t use tanning beds

First of all, remember that tanning beds are never a good option to get a safe tan. Sunbeds utilize ultraviolet A rays (or UVA), which are long wave rays, and do it in extreme quantities. UVA rays go deep into your skin, past the surface and into the epidermis and dermis. This means that there is an increased chance of developing skin cancer (potentially by as much as 75%) when using sunbeds. On top of this fact, you don’t get the benefits that being in the sun gives you, such as vitamin D, which come from ultraviolet B rays (or UVB). If you are looking for an artificial solution for a tan, stick with spray tans, which are harmless, especially compared to tanning beds.

Use particular sunscreen

We’ve talked on this blog about the importance of using sunscreen, but it deserves to be said again. Don’t tan in direct sunlight with unprotected skin. Also, tanning lotion does not equate with skin protection, and it actually does nothing to help the amount of melanin that your body is producing. Get sunscreen that is rated for high UVA protection. Also, broad spectrum sunscreen is going to keep your skin safe from sun damage and skin cancer better than any alternative.

Don’t tan for too long

Tanning typically leads to diminished returns over a longer period of time. After a few hours of tanning in the sun, your body will have already produced the maximum amount of melanin that it can produce in that amount of time (melanin is the chemical in your body that creates the darker pigment in your skin). If you tan in direct sunlight for longer than you need to, then you are allowing the sun to needlessly damage your skin without providing any additional benefits.