Sunscreens block tanning

Sunscreens on the market today offer “broad-spectrum protection“, i.e. both against UVB rays, responsible for sunburn and erythema, and againstUVA rays, the main cause of premature skin aging. The purpose of sunscreen is not to prevent tanning, but tofilter UV raysin such a way as not to cause damage to the skin.

Stating that creams prevent the skin from tanning is therefore a belief without scientific basis, as the cream only acts as a filter through which a part of the sun’s rays still passes and which can guarantee the gradual achievement of the tan.

This false myth is very old and dates back to the 60s, when the use of sunscreens was not yet as widespread as today.

The SPF value of the cream corresponds to the risk-free exposure time

The value of the SPF (“sun protection factor”), the sun protection factor indicated on the creams on the market, indicates thefiltering power of the cream used against the sun’s raysand not the time that can remain in the sun without risk. A sunscreen with an SPF of 50 allows only 1/50 of the sun’s rays to reach the skin; a solar with SPF 20, at 1/20 of the sun’s rays. The higher the SPF is, the higher the protection, however people with different phototypes require different protection creams to protect themselves adequately.

To calculate themaximum protection time of a sunscreenin minutes it is necessary to multiply the SPF value to theself-protection time of the skin, which depends on the phototype.

Wearing a t-shirt protects you from the sun

It is often thought that clothing such as T-shirts or tank tops can  prevent tanning  and provide total protection from  UV rays.  This is actually a mistaken belief. Although wearing a dry garment can reduce the action of UV rays, this is not enough to ensure complete protection, as the rays also penetrate the fabrics.

If the item of clothing worn were to get  wet , the little protection it provides would end up going down further.

Getting a lamp or self-tanner before the holidays helps protect your skin

Solarium rays have a higher proportion of UVA rays, so you can avoid sunburn caused by UVB.

While allowing the skin to darken in a few minutes,  they do not stimulate the self-protection capacity of the skin , induced by UVB. The UVAs, in fact, which penetrate more deeply into the skin than the UVBs, only cause the oxidation of the melanin already present in the skin without stimulating the melanocytes to synthesise new melanin (melanogenesis). This way you will get a quick but short-lived tan.

Not even self-tanner  provides protection from sun exposure. In fact, the color obtained is not due to the normal process of tanning and stimulation of melanin, but derives from a chemical reaction between the  dihydroxyacetone  (DHA) contained and the proteins of the stratum corneum of the skin. Dihydroxyacetone (as well as erythrulose which is used alternatively in the most recent formulations) is a reducing sugar which derives from the glyceric fermentation of sugar beet or sugar cane which, in contact with skin proteins, starts a chemical reaction (Maillard reaction) which leads to brownish-orange discoloration. Since the outermost layer of the skin is colored, the self-tan fades with washing and discolours in a few days with exfoliation of the skin. It is therefore a  fictitious coloring , which does not give protection to the skin from the sun’s rays: a cream suitable for the person’s normal phototype should therefore be used.

The solarium does not damage the skin more than natural sun exposure

That the two exposures are at least different should already be suggested by the fact that with a few minutes of the lamp you come out with reddened skin compared to the same time in the sun at our latitudes. The AIDECO (Italian Dermatology and Cosmetology Association) reported that the power of tanning lamps is such that  20 minutes of sitting in a solarium corresponds  to 20 minutes of exposure to the midday sun at the Equator. Remember that UVA rays cause premature skin aging and increase the risk of skin cancer. Their greater proportion in the rays of the lamp to the sun creates greater risk than the same exposure time.

To this we add that few people dream of putting on sunscreen when they undergo a lamp session (to avoid the risk of blocking the tanning process), putting the skin even more at risk than with natural exposure.

Sunbathing without protection heals acne

There is little truth to this false myth. In fact, exposure to sunlight (even more so if in the absence of protection) can temporarily inhibit the sebaceous glands, thus causing the mitigation of acne . Furthermore, a tan can “camouflage” the redness of pimples, creating a visual improvement in the state of the skin.

However, this effect is transient and acne reappears  and in some cases can even worsen due to the induction of inflammation and thickening of the stratum corneum. Consequently, sunbathing without cream does not solve the problem permanently, it can even make it worse and puts you at risk of damage from UV rays.

In case of acne, therefore, use a sunscreen with a protection factor suitable for the phototype, being careful to choose a  non-comedogenic cream,  so as not to clog the pores of the skin and not worsen the acne problem.

Anyone in the water should not protect themselves from UV rays

A false myth still very popular sees the action of UV rays weakened by sea water. Obviously being in the water for a long time not only  doesn’t prevent the skin from tanning , but in some cases it can even represent an additional risk factor.

When swimming, areas of the body such as the head, shoulders and neck, which are among the most affected by  burns  and  rashes , are left uncovered, even more so because the reflecting power of the water intensifies the rays that strike them. As if that weren’t enough, the sun’s rays manage to  penetrate the surface of the water . In light of this, it is always good to apply sunscreen even just before a bath, with particular attention to the face, neck and shoulders.

If I’m under an umbrella or if there are clouds, you don’t need to apply cream

The umbrella does not totally protect you from the sun and neither do the clouds. Ultraviolet rays are reflected by the water in the pool or sea in front of us or by the sand, putting us at risk of sunburn even if we are in the shade under an umbrella. Pay particular attention to children (even more if under one year of age) kept under an umbrella, even during the hottest hours of the day: they are at risk of rashes and burns. In their case, the only solution is to take them to a cool place and not keep them on the beach: covering cribs and strollers with towels puts them at risk of the dreaded  heatstroke  which can even cause fatal consequences.

Clouds also only provide a filter to the sun’s rays, but not total protection (otherwise there would be complete darkness). This means that even with cloudy and overcast skies it is necessary to protect the skin of young and old.

If the cream is waterproof, you don’t need to put it back on after bathing

It is believed that water-resistant creams allow us to take long baths in the sea or in the pool and lie down for hours sunbathing without having to reapply the cream, but this is not the case. Sunscreens get the “Water Resistant” label if they retain more than 50% of their SPF after two baths of about 20 minutes each. It means that an SPF 50 cream after bathing could give the same protection as a cream maybe 30 SPF and no longer 50. Considering that often the baths are prolonged even longer or that maybe you have moved a lot, swimming or playing some water sport, it is really important once dried to reapply the cream to avoid sunburn.

For a perfect tan you must first get burned

If you have been told that to tan better you must first get burned, you have found yourself in front of yet another false myth. The red we see on scalded skin is not a prelude to tanning, but a sign of inflammation. Sunburn due to prolonged exposure to UV rays is an alarm signal that should not be overlooked and can be proof that the cream you are using does not have optimal protection or that you have not spread it adequately or sufficiently.

In addition, sunburn in large parts of the body or too strong radiation on the head and neck could also lead to episodes ofsunstroke. Remember, therefore, that a good tan is not subject to theappearance of sunburn, indeed they should be avoided so as not to “peel” and make the tan last longer.