As someone who cares about your skin, you’re probably well-versed in sun protection 101: Wear SPF daily, reapply diligently, choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen. But even those of us who are otherwise smart about skin care may buy into common myths that can leave us exposed to sun damage, premature aging and even an increased risk of skin cancer (if you’ve ever used the words “base tan,” keep reading). To help clear up the misconceptions, we checked in with Dr. Deborah Sarnoff, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York and President of The Skin Cancer Foundation, to tell us whether some common beliefs about sun protection are true or false.
1. “I don’t need to wear sunscreen if I plan to spend most of the day indoors.”
Dr. Sarnoff: False! Even when spending most of your time inside, you should still apply sunscreen to all exposed areas of skin, especially if you’re going to be spending time right by a window. There are two types of ultraviolet light that damage your skin and increase your skin cancer risk: ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB). Window glass blocks UVB rays but not UVA rays. In fact, studies have shown that chronic exposure to UVA rays through windows may accelerate skin aging by five to seven years, and most important, can increase skin cancer risk. Furthermore, applying sunscreen every day is a very healthy habit, and you’ll be protected if you end up spending unplanned time outdoors.
2. “As long as I don’t burn, it’s healthy to get a little color. A base tan helps prevent sunburn.”
Dr. Sarnoff: False and really false! There is no such thing as a safe “base tan” or a “healthy tan.” UV radiation is a proven human carcinogen, and unprotected exposure to these rays significantly increases your risk of developing skin cancer. Tanning, like sunburn, is caused by permanent DNA damage to the skin. The immune system sends repair enzymes to the site of sun damage, and as part of the repairs, they put up a wall of darker pigment to prevent further sunburn. But the repairs are never perfect, and some of the damage that has already been done can cause mutations in the skin cells; along with the defects from previous damage, they may prematurely age the skin and one day lead to skin cancer. Read more
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