Tanning Truths

Audience: Middle and High School Students

Did you know melanoma rates have increased in the last 3 decades? Photo by Lawrence Krowdeed from Unsplash.

It’s a beautiful summer day. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the UV is 10. Is it… the perfect day to tan??

If you’re like me, you enjoy being out in the sun, soaking up the precious vitamin D, and basking in its golden goodness whenever you can. Maybe you love tanning, the action of using the sun or other artificial resources to darken your skin tone and give you that summery glow. But the truth is, tanning is not exactly healthy. Tanning is the genetic damage to the cells on your outermost layer of skin, caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It has its own risks, and is widely linked to a number of serious health issues.

First off, what even is UV radiation? UV radiation is a form of non-ionizing radiation emitted by the sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds, mercury vapor lighting (often found in stadiums and school gyms), some halogen, fluorescent, and incandescent lights, and some types of lasers. UV radiation is classified into three primary types: ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and ultraviolet C (UVC), based on their wavelengths. UVA and UVB radiation can both affect health, but UVA penetrates deeper into the skin and is more constant throughout the year. When you feel that warm sunlight on your skin, your cells are receiving UV radiation.

However, exposure and especially overexposure to UV radiation are associated with a number of health detriments. The most obvious are suntans and sunburns. UVA radiation is what makes people tan; it penetrates to the lower layers of the epidermis (the upper layers of the skin), where it triggers cells called melanocytes to produce melanin, the brown pigment that causes tanning. Melanin is the body's way of protecting skin from burning. Darker-skinned people tan more deeply than lighter-skinned people because their melanocytes produce more melanin; however, just because a person doesn't burn does not mean that he or she is also protected against other problems associated with sun exposure.

Sunburns are caused when UVB radiation burns the upper layers of skin. They’re often classified as first-degree burns, are signs of short-term overexposure, and often go away in a couple of days. However, long-term overexposure to the sun can cause serious health issues. Skin-related long-term effects include premature aging/photoaging, skin cancer (melanoma and non-melanoma), and actinic or solar keratoses (growths considered the earliest stage in the development of skin cancer). Other effects include eye damage, such as photokeratitis (sunburn of the cornea, also called “snow blindness”) and cataracts (clouding of the natural lens of the eye that can cause decreased vision and even blindness), and immune system suppression. 

Many health organizations and officials urge the avoidance of UV radiation, since any kind of exposure means that there is the possibility of damage. However, since it’s close to impossible to stay away from the sun completely, here are some tips to tan safely.

1. Use sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) 15 or higher, for both UVA and UVB protection

   1. The SPF number on a sunscreen shows the level of UVB protection it gives, so sunscreens with a higher SPF number provide more defense against the sun's damaging UV rays

   2. Reapply sunscreen every 1.5 to 2 hours, more frequently if you’re swimming or sweating

2. Use other accessories that can protect you from the sun, including sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats

3. Avoid indoor tanning, especially if you’re a younger user; people who begin indoor tanning during adolescence or early adulthood have a higher risk of developing melanoma.

4. If you want a golden glow, consider sunless tanning products. There are many options that can give you a bronzed look but without the associated damage and risks!

With that being said, UV radiation is not without benefits: it stimulates vitamin D production, a nutrient essential to human health that helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus from food and assists bone development. The sun can make you feel happier by boosting the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to mood and well-being. On another note, sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm (your body's internal clock). In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) actually recommends 5 to 15 minutes of sun exposure 2 to 3 times a week. 

So is it better to go outside or stay in? Well, the key to sun exposure, like many other things in life, is balance. Enjoy your time outside, with the sun and all its brightness and warmth, but be aware of the risks and make sure to make decisions to take care of yourself when exposed to UV radiation.

Bibliography

Chien, Anna. “Tanning & Your Skin.” The Skin Cancer Foundation, https://www.skincancer.org/risk-factors/tanning/. Accessed 2 August 2025.

“How to Tan Safely and Reduce Skin Cancer Risk.” Cancer Treatment Centers of America, 16 May 2023, https://www.cancercenter.com/community/blog/2023/05/how-to-tan-safely. Accessed 2 August 2025.

Hyde, Patrice. “Tanning (for Teens) | Nemours KidsHealth.” Kids Health, https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/tanning.html. Accessed 2 August 2025.

Park, Alice. “The Sun and Your Mood: Why Sunlight Is So Good For You | TIME.” Time Magazine, 7 August 2017, https://time.com/4888327/why-sunlight-is-so-good-for-you/. Accessed 31 August 2025.

“The Risks of Tanning.” FDA, 16 May 2023, https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/tanning/risks-tanning. Accessed 2 August 2025.

“Ultraviolet Radiation | Radiation and Your Health.” CDC, 16 July 2025, https://www.cdc.gov/radiation-health/features/uv-radiation.html. Accessed 2 August 2025.