FAKE IT, Don't Bake It
MEET TODAY'S SUNLESS TANNERS
FARAH K. AHMED O
ver the last two decades, public awareness of the damaging effects of ul- traviolet radiation (UVR)
from the sun and tanning beds has considerably grown. Programs such
as The Skin Cancer Foundation's Go With Your Own GlowTM
campaign
have also stressed the beauty of one's natural skin color, and many celebrities have opted for and publicly expressed the value of untanned skin. Nonetheless, the desire for tanned
skin persists, especially in teens and 20- somethings, and this appears to be reflected by soaring melanoma figures, now six times higher for young adults than they were 40 years ago. Fortunately, sunless tanners (aka self- tanners or UV- free tanners) have made significant advancements since the 1980s, when they were notorious
Sunless tanners (aka self- tanners or UV- free tanners) have made significant advancements since the 1980s, when they were notorious for producing unrealistic color, not to mention orange- streaked palms.
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for producing unrealistic color, not to mention orange- streaked palms. For those who recognize the dangers of UVR, but still want a golden glow, it pays to become acquainted with today's much- improved
sunless
tanners and learn how they differ from UV tanning.
WHAT IS A UV TAN? Suntans,
sunburns, and pre-
mature skin aging can all be caused by overexposure to cancer- causing ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B (UVA and UVB) rays. Both types of rays damage the skin cells' DNA, prompting melanocytes (skin cells in the top layer of skin, the epidermis) to produce more melanin, the pigment that gives our eyes and skin their color.