Get tan without harm!

To get the golden tan witnessing warm, summerly weather we are depending on some help from our friend the sun. But you better be careful, no-one will benefit from having their skin burned!

When our skin finally gets exposed to some long-lost sunshine, a series of processes take place. Within the skin there’s a pigment called melanin, and this is the one responsible for giving us the tan we so desperately want. Sunrays are boosting the melanin production. Now, there are a few things to remember if you want to get tan without harm. UV-rays are separated into three categories, depending on their level of energy;

• UVA

The least energic of the three is UVA-rays. These rays darken your melanin pigments, and will help you get tan. Most sunrays reaching the earth’s surface are UVA-rays.

• UVB

These rays are richer in energy than the abovementioned. The ozone layer effectively hinders 70-90% of them from reaching the earth, but a small portion still manage to pave their way through. These rays are efficient burners and must be handled with care.

• UVC

This category holds the most energic rays. Both the ozone layer and the earth’s atmosphere fully absorb the UVC-rays, and we thereby won’t have them at the earth’s surface.

To have your skin transforming from winter pale to a golden summer tan you do need sunrays. As already mentioned, UVA-rays are the ones giving your skin the characteristic summerly color. It goes under your skin, darkening the melanin. The result? You get tan. The amount of rays delivered from above is too much for our skin to handle, and both UVA and UVB-rays are classified as cancerogenic. But don’t worry, there’s hope!

Sun protection factor – SPF

To benefit from the sun’s loving rays, we must filter away the harm. It is important to protect your skin from the damaging UVB-rays, in addition to reducing the strength of rays as a whole. “Sun protection factor” is therefore a term all with love for beautiful skin must get to know sooner rather than later. SPF says something about how long you can stay exposed to the sun before you turn red. If your skin turns read, you’ve hurt it and an inflammation process is already ongoing. You should get tan without having to put your skin under such stressful conditions. SPF makes it possible to stay in the sun for longer without making harm.

Sunscreen – a jungle!

There are numerous kinds of sun cream out there. The most important is to choose one that protects against both UVA and UVB. Remember that clothes also protect against sunrays, and that both body and mind will benefit from a couple of breaks in the shadow. Keep in mind that to get tan, you must take your time! It is recommended to use sun cream with a SPF of 15 or more. Apply it frequently, at least every 2-3 hours and immediately after bathing.