The Harm of Fake and Bake

Deep down inside, we all desire beautiful glowing skin, rich in color and radiant. What is it about this look that captivates us? Is it the way it makes us feel? The way it makes us look? Perhaps it's just the trend we all try to follow. For whatever reason we desire tan skin is irrelevant, we just know we want it-and we will get it. The question is whether we take our time and relax in the presence of beautiful, natural sunlight, or simply go for an 8 minute bake in a tanning bed and get the same results.

I would chose natural tanning over bed tanning any day of the week; natural is the way to go! What I enjoy about getting a natural tan- other than the amazing color it gives my skin- is the countless hours I get to spend laying out, soaking up the sun, without a care in the world. However, I do have to be honest and admit I have used tanning beds before. The beds are a much faster and much more convenient route to tan skin, but they provide an artificial rather than a natural tone. A natural tan gives my skin a certain glow in addition to color where as the beds simply give my skin a dark color that just isn't quite me.

Those who favor tanning beds will argue the beds and natural sun have the same negative effects on your skin, but this is not entirely true. Although both the beds and natural sunlight contain UV rays, these rays are not identical. Doris Day, M.D., states," Indoor tanning is like smoking for your skin. It is the single worst thing you can do in terms of skin cancer and premature aging." This is because the beds emit UVb rays and sunlight emits UVa rays. This might be quite confusing because they are both UV rays. To explain this, we can turn to science. UVa rays activate melanin, a naturally produced amino acid responsible for skin pigment. Melanin is important because it absorbs the harmful UVb radiation our bodies come in contact with on a daily basis. This harmful radiation is transformed to heat by melanin, preventing the indirect DNA damage that is responsible for the formation of skin cancers. Regardless, too much exposure to any type of UV rays is never good for your skin, but science proves natural UVa rays are what our bodies and skin are equipped to handle.

There is no doubt about it that tanning beds are a must faster-and unhealthier- way to achieve the tan skin you desire. But have you ever really thought about what you're actually paying for at a tanning salon? Sunlight, and they certainly don't make it cheap. The American economy is extremely interesting- I mean paying for grocery bags, come on. But who would have ever thought they would actually get people to pay for sunlight. There are maybe 2 months out of the year, if that many, that there isn't suitable tanning weather here in Tucson. I mean come on people, its 80 degrees in February, a so-called "winter month." Sunlight is unlimited and free, but somehow people are still paying for it.

When it really comes down to it, it will always be a personal preference: bed tanning or natural tanning. Although bed tanning is quick and convenient, it is scientific proven to be much worse for your skin than natural tanning. Rather than spending money on an 8 minute tan, you should take the time to lay out and relax in the beauty of the natural light! It will give you a more natural color and a beautiful glow!

Day, Dorris. "Skin Damage from Tanning Beds Worse than Thought." wellbeingwire.meyouhealth.com. Web. 11 October 2011.