The base tan myth goes a little something like this: ’I’m going to Florida and I don’t want to get burned while I’m there, so I’m going to the tanning salon to get some ‘base color,’ explains Tim Turnham, Ph.D, executive director of the Melanoma Research Foundation. If that wasn’t bad enough, what happens next is worse: “Then, once they’re on vacation, that person thinks they aren’t at risk for burns and they spend their time in the sun unprotected. Nothing could be further from the truth,” says Dr. Turnham. Tan skin is actually the result of the skin’s defenses kicking in. When ultraviolet light hits the skin, it damages the DNA in the skin cells, causing them to send out an emergency signal—melanin, or pigment—to the surface to protect the cells. In other words, when you have a tan, the tan is happening because the DNA has already been damaged, says Dr. Turnham. Furthermore, past damage, like a base tan, doesn’t protect you from a future sunburn. In fact, it makes you even more susceptible to the other effects of sun damage—like wrinkles and skin cancer—that don’t show up right away, Dr. Turnham says. Bottom line: There’s no such thing as a safe tan—damaged skin is damaged skin. So for heaven’s sake, skip the base tan thinking and slather on the sun block. Your skin will thank you. More from Prevention: SunscreenExcuses Even Smart Women Make
