What is a tan

Tanning is your skins method of attempting to safeguard itself from ultraviolet rays, which are something that can hurt it. Not all tans coincide. Understanding the timing as well as process of tanning will help you comprehend why you occasionally sunburn when you do

n't expect it.

This post on tanning is Part 2 of my Sunburn Series. In part 1 of the Sunburn Collection I discussed which UV rays trigger sunburns as well as what happens inside your skin when you get one.

To really comprehend a sunburn you require to comprehend a tan.

A tan is what your skin does to try to shield you from damaging UV rays - BUT not all tans actually give you sun defense! There are 2 kinds of tans as well as they relate to the 2 sorts of UV rays, UVA and UVB. They produce completely different kinds of tan in your skin and also the tans create at different times. Recognizing this will maintain you from falling for a few of the typical tanning myths.

What is a tan?

Your skin's capability to tolerate sun exposure is established by how much pigment your skin can make and also exactly how rapidly it makes it. This is your Fitzpatrick Skin Kind:

Skin Types
I Always burns, never ever tans
II Always burns as well as tans extremely little
III Burns somewhat yet tans progressively
IV Burns a little however tans easily (olive skin)
V Rarely burns and tans conveniently (brownish skin)
VI Never burns, tans darkly black (dark brownish skin)

Types of Sun tanning

There are 2 kinds of tanning that occur after UV direct exposure as well as knowing this is necessary since one makes melanin (to offer you a really little bit of extra sun security) and one doesn't. Melanin is your skin pigment as well as it is contained in little granules that develop and also are kept in your skin to provide you tan shade. It's made by specialized skin cells called melanocytes. The melanin granules spread out in the top of your living skin layer where you've been subjected to the UV rays. Even a generous layer of pigment granules in your skin from tanning only provides you a little additional sunlight defense, as well as for your skin to make that security takes some time.

The two kind of tanning response to UV light are Immediate Pigment Darkening as well as Postponed Pigment Eclipse.

Immediate Pigment Eclipse

This is prompt tanning The tan occurs because your skin rearranges the pigment that was already in your skin. No brand-new melanin granules are made. It happens right after UVB exposure and/or UVA exposure (UVA is what's in tanning beds). The tan starts to take place right away and also is optimum after just a few hrs. This UVA and/or UVB exposure causes totally free radicals which damage your skin's DNA. This tan offers absolutely NO security from the sunlight. Positively none! Not even a little!!! So you can not make use of tanning beds to 'obtain a little base tan' and also protect your skin for that warm trip.

This kind of UV exposure causes a rise in the thickness of the dead skin cell layer of your skin (stratum corneum). It's you skin's means of trying to secure itself due to the fact that a thick dead skin cell layer does provide a little sunlight security (think hands as well as soles which are the severe as well as have truly thick dead skin cell layers). Sadly, we like to exfoliate off these exact same dead skin cells since they make skin appearance plain, completely dry, as well as leathery. It's one of those 'you can't have your cake and also consume it too' scenarios; small sunlight security as well as boring tough skin, or exfoliated soft skin and also no sunlight security from that tan. Any person that's read my blog before understands what I would certainly select!

Delayed Pigment Darkening

This is delayed tanning that takes some time to develop. It only occurs from direct exposure to UVB rays! You can't get it from the UVA in tanning beds. Keep in mind, UVB is the same sunlight ray that create sunburn so tanning is part of the continuum of events that culminates in a sunburn. It begins 2 to 3 days AFTER exposure, becoming optimum at 10 to 14 days (2 weeks!). It happens WHEN your skin cell's DNA gets damaged by the UVB so the existence of a tan indicates DNA has been damaged!

The tan happens since your skin really makes more melanin pigment granules and also spreads them out in the living layer of your skin. This indicates that it does give you a percentage of sun security, but at the expenditure of DNA damage. Remember, tans are momentary since these melanin granules grow up and out of your skin as your cells dropped. They offer your skin a nominal SPF that is nowhere near the SPF 30 sunscreens that we recommend.

Like the immediate tan, this type of exposure also creates an increase in the dead skin cell layer of your skin (stratum corneum). This thickening offers a little sun security but it's also the layer we scrub to keep skin looking eye-catching.

In my last blog post of this Sunburn Series I'll offer you suggestions for what you ought to as well as shouldn't do to assist your skin heal if, regrettably, you have a sunburn.

Need reliable dermatologist's sun security materials? Go here for my total Sun Security Package and great looking, reputable and also well valued Sunlight Hats.

Recommendation:

Miyamura Y, Coelho SG, Schlenz K, Batzer J, Smuda C, Choi W, Brenner M, Passeron T, Zhang G, Kolbe L, Wolber R, Hearing VJ. The deceitful nature of UVA tanning versus the moderate protective impacts of UVB sun tanning on human skin. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2011 Feb; 24( 1 ):136 -47.

Andrews' Diseases of The Skin, 11th Version, William D. James, MD, Timothy Berger, MD and also Dirk MD Elston, MD, Saunders 2011, web pages 24-25.

Photos: Thanks and also Gratefulness to Alan Donque and also Wickedness Erin