By now, most of us heard that sun tanning is unhealthy. The medical and aesthetic consequences of excessive sun exposure (whether artificial or natural) are severe and can needlessly harm both your health and your appearance.
Here are ten of the top reasons why sun tanning so unhealthy and dangerous.
1. Dry Skin
Tanning takes a toll on your skin, decreasing moisture and leaving the skin thinner and drier. Dry
skin is unpleasant in both look and feel and can be avoided by reducing sun exposure.
2. Dehydration
The moisture taken from our bodies during tanning doesn’t just leave our skin dry – it
also affects the rest of us. Dehydration is a serious concern in cases of excessive sun or UV ray
exposure and can become severe enough to cause sunstroke.
3. Wrinkles
Sun tanning can lead to a breakdown in elastin and collagen levels – two proteins that skin
cells need to maintain a youthful look. Without these, wrinkles quickly form.
4. Age Spots
Age spots are also a common consequence of tanning. They manifest as brown or reddish spots on the
face and body and can last a lifetime.
5. Uneven Pigmentation
Years of tanning often make themselves known in permanent pigmentation changes. Excessive sun
exposure can lead to uneven skin texture and the development of reddish, blotchy areas or heavy
freckling.
6. Decreased Immune System
One of the least known phenomena related to tanning is a decrease in immune system functionality.
Without a properly functioning immune system, people are much more likely to fall victim to any
number of illnesses.
7. Sunburns
At one time or another you’ve problem suffered from a sunburn. Whether mild or severe,
sunburns leave lasting damage to your skin that can lead to aesthetic conditions (like some of the
ones mentioned above) or more serious medical issues like skin cancer.
8. Premature Aging
The total of sun tanning’s effects is one of premature aging. Wrinkles, age spots, and a
drastic reduction in skin texture, moisture, and tone quality all add up to create a prematurely
aged look.
9. Melanoma
Malignant melanoma can occur due to sun tanning and presents itself as an irregularly shaped mark on
the skin. If left untreated, a melanoma sufferer can lose their life.
10. Other Skin Cancers
The most frightening problem associated with sun tanning is the development of skin cancer, a
disease that cuts many lives short every year. Aside from developing melanoma, frequent tanners also
put themselves at risk of contracting basal or squamous cell carcinomas. Tanned skin is simply not
worth the risk of premature death.
