You might wonder why tanning in March? Here in Ohio, we don’t see the sun much during the winter so when March hits, everyone gets Spring fever. With Spring fever often comes the desire to escape to somewhere warm and sunny. Right before my patients are getting ready to jet off, one question never seems to die, “Is it ok to get a base tan?” And my answer is always a simple, “No.”
Tanning is sun damage and getting a base tan via a tanning bed is intentional damage that can have consequences like premature aging and the development of skin cancer down the line. Some people will swear the base tan is necessary to avoid burning, but honestly, it’s not. No matter how fair you are or how little your skin sees the sun, you can use traditional sun protection practices to keep yourself from burning. The dilemma is that it does take a little work and dedication to make it happen, but even my most stubborn patients who commit—it works. I’ve won a lot of bets challenging my patients to create a sun protection plan that works.
First, find a sunscreen you like. Everyone always asks which sunscreen I recommend and I respond, “The one you’ll use.” As long as the label says broad spectrum, SPF 50 (I bump up SPF compared to most guidelines), then I’m not so particular about the brand. It may sound ridiculous, but your relationship with sunscreen is personal. Smell, feel or texture may turn you off from one brand to the next. Maybe you’re more comfortable with mineral filters over chemical or you want a tinted version. Lotion might feel too greasy or sprays might be your favorite. In addition to SPF 50 and broad spectrum, I also love sunscreens that add antioxidants to their formulation, like vitamin C, or proprietary ingredients, like DNA Repairsomes®, that fight off free radicals. And if a sunscreen protects against high energy visible light, it’s also a bonus feature, especially for those who have hyperpigmentation or struggle with conditions like melasma.
The other comment I get is “Sunscreen doesn’t work.” But usually it’s user error that results in sunscreen’s ineffectiveness. While it’s possible that your sunscreen expired or that it denatured over time due to heat, most of the time sunscreen doesn’t work optimally for two reasons: 1. We don’t apply enough of it and 2. We don’t reapply frequently enough. For the face, apply about ¼ of a teaspoon or around a nickle-sized amount. You can also follow the “Two Finger Rule,” which is my favorite due to its convenience and practicality. Squeeze sunscreen along your middle and index finger and that should be sufficient to cover your face and neck. Easy peasy. For the body, about a shot glass or 2 tablespoons is recommended. I often tell patients for the extremities, apply a full line of sunscreen around the front and the back of your arm and leg, and that’s getting you in the ballpark for those areas.
While not applying enough is a problem, the biggest mistake most people make with sunscreen is forgetting the reapplication part. You’re busy having fun swimming or you’ve been hanging out chatting with the moms at your son’s baseball game, and boom—time has passed quicker than you anticipated and you forgot to reapply so now tomorrow is burn city. The general reapplication recommendation is every 2 hours and immediately after sweating or swimming. If you are using water resistant sunscreen, that time is shortened to 40 or 80 minutes depending upon what’s on your label. I usually tell patients to reapply every hour and use the labeling for water resistant versions. One aspect of replaying that we can forget as well—sunscreen should be applied about 15-30 minutes before going out into the sun. For chemical sunscreens, this wait time allows for better absorption. Mineral sunscreens might also benefit—not as much from absorption since they rest on the skin’s surface—but from getting time to dry which prevents their rubbing off. We often practice the sunscreen pause or wait after applying sunscreen for the first application, but for reapplying, we often fall short. Who runs in from the beach, towels off, reapplys, sets their stop watch for 25 minutes and then runs back out to join the crowd? Um….not many of us, right? As a result, for chemical sunscreens there is a pocket of time where we aren’t protected because the sunscreen hasn’t “kicked in” just yet. For our mineral versions, it’s possible they may rub off sooner and not last as long.
So if you’re thinking Spring Break ready and tempted to get the base tan, challenge yourself to forgo it. Although it’s not easy and requires a little dedication, commit to using sunscreen more effectively. But don’t stop just there. Don’t purposefully tan. Seek shade, and wear sun protective clothing like a hat, sunglasses and garments with UPF in them. Add in a lip balm that’s at least SPF 30 and broad spectrum. You can also consider adding on a polypodium leucotomos supplement which does have data to support its use to prevent the damaging effects of UV light. If you want a glow up, then choose self-tanners or go bold with a spray tan. The best part–you can show up on vacation with the bronzed bod you want and look good at the beach from Day 1.
Trotter’s Take: Don’t fall victim to the base tan myth and commit to protect your skin with sunscreen not only this Spring, but year-round.
Want to hear more about tanning and how it contributed to a patient with melanoma? Then check out my podcast with Leah Adams, melanoma survivor and advocate for sun safety.
