Pros, Cons of Tanning

It's an accepted fact that people in general want to look good. They care about the clothes they wear ,their hair styles and the cars they drive. Sporting a beautiful tan is just another method of looking good. And while thousands of people gear up for Summer, one of their priorities is to achieve a golder tan. Most want only to enhance their beauty while a few sunbathe for health reasons.

Let's take a moment and touch on the different methods of acquiring tans. The oldest and most used method is sun tanning. People flock to the pools and beaches by the thousands every summer. They enjoy the crowds and parties associated with this activity. However, many are caught up in the excitement and forget to exercise caution.

Soaking up sun rays is beneficial to your health because the sun gives off UV rays that provides the body with Vitamin D. They also strengthen the bones. However, over exposure to the sun can cause dangerous health concerns.

The most common danger is sun burn, that can lead to skin cancer. To help prevent this, wearing goggles and covering the body with a protective sun block can help.

Let's touch a little on sun tan lotions. The chief reason any one would choose to use a lotion to acquire their tan is convenience. This method is fast, inexpensive and has virtually no side effects. To achieve best results, apply lotion as directed.

First bathe and scrub the body to remove dead cells. Pat dry the body and apply a good skin moisturizer. When applying the tanning lotion, begin on the lower legs and work upward. Apply evenly and smoothly. Use sparingly on elbows, knees and ankles. Allow lotion to remain untouched for a least 15 minutes before putting on any clothing.

Final tip before selecting a brand of lotion, read any warnings on the label listing any side effects. Lotion's can be purchase at most major department stores as well as tanning salons.

Tanning salons are probably the most popular methods of tanning. While most offer tanning beds only, a few boasts spray stalls.

Exercise caution when shopping for your salon of choice. Your older model beds use UV-B lights that pose major concern. They can cause skin irritations that lead to basal cell cancer. Make certain you use only the UV-A lighted bulbs. These bulbs emit smaller amounts of UV-B rays. It is believed that tanning beds do NOT cause skin cancer but other dangers exist. Long exposure causes more wrinkles, thus causing premature aging. This factor is the result of the skin loosing it's elasticity.

Your spray on tans are popular in that a fine mist covers your body more evenly. Unfortunately, your tan only lasts 4 to 5 days. Also, some solutions are oil based and can leave your body with a starchy odor. Plus, you cannot wet the body for at least 5 hours after a treatment.

Whichever method you choose for your bronzing treatment please keep this in mind. Our skin is the largest organ in the body. It protects us against bacteria and viruses which cause disease. The pigment in the skin, called melanin, protects us from the sun's harmful rays. It also helps to control our temperature. Keeping all this in mind, use good common sense when tanning.