One (More) Reason Not to Tan

We’ve been telling you about the dangers of tanning for awhile now. In case you need a quick refresher, here it is in a nutshell:

1. Tanning is a MAJOR cancer risk, according to the World Health Organization, along with arsenic and mustard gas, due to the UV rays in sunlight and in tanning beds.
2. Tanning is your skin’s natural reaction to DEFEND itself from the sun’s UV radiation, not encourage you to stay out longer.
3. Tanning seriously ages your skin, weakening connective tissues in your skin, causing fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation (sun spots).

Here’s more bad news for the tanners out there. If you’ve been in search of that ever-elusive full body tan, you will be searching a long time, according to a new study.

Published in Experimental Dermatology, the study found that some parts of your body (ex. buttocks) are just less prone to holding a tan. There’s tan through swimwear out there in addition to nude sunbathing, tanning beds, and that guy above. However, our bodies seem to be telling us that there are some places that are just not meant to be tan. Staying out for hours in the sun may not get you closer to the full body tan and it only increases your risk of skin cancer.

So stick to spray tanning or, better yet, no tanning. Keep in mind that skin cancer is on the rise, especially among younger women, and ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS protect your skin with a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 daily.

[LiveScience via FoxNews]
Photo Source: DailyStrength