– How do suntan lotions work?
– The body defends itself against the sun
It’s better to avoid because, in excess, it’s bad. The Brazilian Society of Dermatology does not recommend the use of the technique for aesthetic purposes and, in February this year, the National Health Surveillance Agency, Anvisa, created a series of restrictions on the use of tanning beds, such as the need for a medical evaluation before exposure and prohibition of use by children under 16 years of age. The fear of doctors is due to the fact that tanning machines emit ultraviolet rays of type A (UV-A) in much larger amounts than those emitted by sunlight. “From ten sessions a year onwards, people are at risk of developing skin cancer”, says dermatologist Ediléia Bagatin, from the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp).
One of the deadliest types of the disease, melanoma, can appear from unsuspecting moles on the skin after several sessions. “Furthermore, indoor tanning increases the risk of cancer in regions that are normally less exposed to the sun, such as the legs”, says Ediléia. Some tanning clinics, however, have doctors who defend the method “Those with very light skin should not tan even under the sun. But, if that’s not the case, after a careful evaluation, two weekly sessions of up to 30 minutes are not harmful”, says dermatologist Roberto Cressoni, who advises tanning clinics in São Paulo. Roberto also recalls that the machines also have a therapeutic purpose in some cases, as skin diseases such as psoriasis and vitiligo can be treated with controlled UV-A exposure. In any case, it is worth remembering that the most important opinion on this controversial issue is that of the Brazilian Society of Dermatology. Therefore, all care is little.
1. When the UV-A rays emitted by the tanning machine reach the skin, it reacts to the radiation attack by increasing the production of melanin, a dark pigment that protects it. But the effect is not instantaneous and the tan takes hours or days to appear, depending on each person’s skin type 2
2. Even in dark skin, UV rays reach the deep layers of the skin, breaking the elastin and collagen fibers that support it, causing early sagging and wrinkling. The same effect occurs with those who sunbathe without protection, but the amount of UV rays is greater in tanning machines
3. Frequent exposure to UV rays ends up damaging the DNA of skin cells. In some cases, mutations cause these cells to multiply uncontrollably. That’s cancer. The first signs of the disease can take years to appear.