5 Things You Need to Know About Tanning Lotions And Skin Cancer

1. Avoid Skin Cancer

As people learn more about the effects of ultraviolet light on our skin and how it can cause melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, many people look elsewhere to get that nice, healthy summer glow. Global warming is eating away the atmospheric barrier that protected us better in the past, making the sun more dangerous every year. In addition to skin cancer, too much exposure to the bare sun causes wrinkles, age sports and sagging skin. Ultraviolet light in tanning booths is equally damaging to the skin.

2. Tan in a Can

Self-tanning lotions, also called sunless tanning lotions, bronzers and spray-on tan, are being perfected so that they don't leave orange streaks all over your body like tanning lotions of the past. They do wear off quicker than a real tan because the dye in the tanners sinks through only the very top layer of your skin and sloughs off after a few washings and as a natural design. The worst side effects for most people may include an allergic reaction to the ingredients of a specific brand, leaving a temporary rash and itching.

3. Cover Your Tan

Unless stated on the package, sunless tanners do not have high levels of UV protection. Just because your skin is darker doesn't mean that you are totally protected from the harmful UV rays. Most tanning lotions offer a minimal amount of protection equal to about a four level of sun block. You should still cover your skin with sun block after using a self-tanning product.

4. Don't Be Fooled

Names can be misleading. Products that are labeled sun accelerants, amplifiers or enhancers are not the same as self-tanning darkening lotions. Instead they contain chemicals that attract the UV rays and can cause a reaction to the sun. They will accentuate the damage done by the bare sunlight. Tanning pills have been banned in the United States because of the side effects.

5. Slow and Fast

Tanning bronzers made from gel materials provide a darker and more even tan because they are water-soluble. This same water base decreases the amount of time its lasts though and is often washed off by one shower. A tan will also longer if it takes longer to darken. Most of the newer tanning lotions call for repeated application three or four times in one day. You can add a little life to your tan by buffing your brown skin with a towel and shower before you put it on.