Overview
Wrinkles, cataracts and cancer all are damages that accompany tanning the face, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Vitamin D Council outlines the importance of at least 20 minutes of sun exposure each day to trigger production of the daily requirements of a secosteroid hormone, popularly called vitamin D—but the healthy glow of summer is a health risk.
Sun Damage
Tanning damages the skin’s tissue, according to the EPA. Skin cell damage occurs when the sun’s ultraviolet rays—both UVA and UVB types—alter the skin cells’ genetic code. The Mayo Clinic states that malignant growth is triggered as UV light alters the DNA coding and the oncogene present in the cell is activated.
Time Frame
The face is particularly vulnerable to skin damage because it is constantly exposed to ultraviolet rays. The cumulative build-up of facial skin damage results in wrinkles, dried skin and disease. Although a burn on the face for babies and young children is linked to doubling the chances of face cancer later in life, prolonged, minimal ultraviolet exposure over a number of years is also linked to face cancers, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Misconceptions
Americans view a light tan as a sign of health, when in reality any browning is a sign of skin damage. A study done by Emily Gorell, Carolyn Lee, Lynn S. Chang and Claudia Munoz of the Department of Dermatology at Stanford University published in 2009 found that almost 75 percent of the nearly 500 women involved in the study enjoyed lying out in the sun to tan. The women overwhelmingly thought a tanned face was a sign of fashion and health.
Prevention
The only way to prevent facial skin damage is to protect the face against ultraviolet rays. This includes staying out of the noontime sun when the UV rays are most damaging, wearing large hats with brims measuring at least four inches wide and using sun block or a sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 30. Sun block and sunscreen must be reapplied every two hours to maintain effectiveness, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Expert Insight
Despite recent dermatological advances in plastic surgery, skin buffing and chemical peels, sun damage on facial skin cannot be reversed. Cosmetic surgeries and treatments can modify the damage or mask minor wrinkling or scars, but these procedures cannot totally erase the damage done by ultraviolet rays, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
