We all can’t wait to start going out after enduring months of stress by staying indoors at home during this coronavirus pandemic. While this was most difficult for people, many have opened up in color and seen their tanned skin become much lighter. This is a clear indication of how badly the sun-exposure has tanned us. Many skin tan removal treatments can help get rid of the skin tan and help protect your skin from further damage.
Tanning procedures and showing of a skin tan can sometimes be glamorous but this surely does not make it in any way safe. Overexposure of the skin to sunlight is bound to make the skin get tanned. While this process is inevitable due to our lifestyle and needs, it is certainly treatable and preventive measures can be taken.
Tanning is an unavoidable process everyone will undergo if their skin is exposed to the sun for long hours. A person gets tanned only after the harmful UV rays from the sun enter the internal layers of the skin and damages it. These damages done to the skin layer can prove to be fatal as the skin cells would become incapable of protecting themselves from any further damage by UV rays. Hence, this makes skin tan removal treatments a necessity.
No Tan is a Good Tan
The sunlight is a major source of Vitamin D in our daily lifestyle. Cholesterol from the skin cells is converted to initiate the Vitamin D synthesis by UVB rays falling on the skin. Synthesis of Vitamin D in such a manner is very healthy. For this, the skin needs to be exposed to the sun. The need for sunlight to fall on the skin exists but the time and range of exposure can be controlled as the optimal requirement is between 15-45 mins.
Damaged cells and DNA are a part of the process of skin tanning. As the tanning does not start until these harmful UV rays have penetrated deep into the skin to damage the skin cells and alter DNA. Tanning is hence not safe irrespective of the glam it may carry There is no such thing as a good tan.
Risks Of Skin Tanning
The resulting outcome of over-exposure to the sunlight would cause the skin to be tanned. This comes with different types of risks and symptoms. The most common risks of skin tan are as follows
- Sunburns
- Suntans
- Skin Cancer
- Immune System Suppression
Sunburns
The most obvious sign of overexposure and skin damage by UV rays. Erythema is often associated with redness and peeling of the skin. This tender looking painful, flushed skin is a result of the white blood cells that protect from infection and diseases fighting against these UV rays and removing the damaged cells to help for better protection from UV rays.
Sunburns can be very painful and it may take between 6-48 hours for the symptoms to appear.
Suntans
A clear sign of skin damage as the skin color changes very visibly. The pigment melanin controls the color of your skin, hair, and eyes. Melanin production is increased to help protect the skin from UV rays as a result of UV rays falling on the skin.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer has two forms: melanoma and non-melanoma.
Melanoma: This is less common but more dangerous and can be fatal to life. Cancer that begins in melanocytes of the epidermal cells. Melanoma is curable if detected at the early stages. Melanoma is a major cause of death amongst skin cancer.
Non-Melanoma Carcinoma that originates in the squamous and basal cell located at the base of the epidermis. This is both and outside the body. The treatment rate for non-melanoma cancer has a high success rate.
Immune System Suppression
Immune system suppression or immunosuppression is a condition that prevents the body’s immune system from functioning properly. This includes all the defence mechanisms of the body including the spleen, lymph nodes, and white blood cells in the bloodstream.
UV radiation from the sun can suppress all body functions and diminish the body’s responses to treatment, medications, and other immunizations. This can make an individual prone to many illnesses or prevent any recovery.
Conclusion
Sunlight is most certainly good for the skin and can help keep it healthy. But over-exposure to the sunlight to such a great extent that it results in skin tanning is not advisable. Skin tan can cause major health issues, some that are even fatal. So, it is best to always take precautionary measures and take good care of your skin’s health.