CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — If you are among the millions of Americans that think having tan skin is healthy, you are mistaken.
“Tan skin is not healthy. Tan skin is a sign that the sun has damaged your skin,” says board-certified Southern Utah dermatologist Dr. Steven Peine. “Essentially, the body reacts by making more pigment to protect itself.”
Learn more about tanning and keeping your skin healthy in the “Ask a Local Expert” video in the media player above.
It is a common misconception in our society that people think it makes them look more healthy and vibrant, but Peine said they are really just harming themselves.
“When a person tans, they’re exposing themselves to ultraviolet light, and what ultraviolet light does is it goes into the skin and it damages DNA. DNA is the building blocks of our cells, and when DNA is damaged, the body usually repairs it,” Peine said. “Our body will repair it almost always, but when you get a certain amount of DNA damage that occurs, then skin cancer can develop.”
Because damage is cumulative, skin cancer is more common in older people, approximately 2.2 million American are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer each year. Peine said when a person tans, the ultraviolet rays are going into the skin and damaging the elastic tissues in their skin.
“Its well-known that the more sun that people are exposed to, the more wrinkly they get. It also causes damage to the elastic tissue in blood vessels,” he said, adding that a common question he gets is, “Why do I bruise so easy?”
“The answer is … ultraviolet radiation from the sun has damaged the elastic tissue in your vessels, and it makes them more delicate.”
To learn more about dermatology, skin cancer treatments or to schedule a consultation, visit the Vivida website.
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