Should I tan before my summer vacation?

By: Julie Neville, MD, FAAD

Patients often ask whether it is a good idea to tan before going on a sunny vacation, especially after being inside and having their skin covered all winter.  The idea of getting a “base tan” seems reasonable to many as it appears to decrease the risk of burning by increasing your skin’s natural melanin levels.  This concept, however, is fundamentally flawed according to dermatologists. 

First, there is no such thing as a “safe” tan. Tanned skin reflects damaged skin, and is the result of skin trying to protect itself from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Second, experts believe that a base tan is equivalent to wearing a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of no more than 4.  This means that with sun exposure, if you normally burn in 10 minutes without protection you will now burn in 40 minutes, or four times as long.  This effect is therefore minimal and will not protect your skin to the extent that you would have by wearing a sunscreen with a higher SPF rating or sun protective clothing.  

Third, and more troubling, is how vacationers will acquire their base tan. Many will elect to visit a tanning salon, which uses the same harmful UV rays as those that come from the sun to darken the skin. Unfortunately, tanning bed use has been strongly linked to skin cancer development. Furthermore, unprotected exposure to ultraviolet rays causes premature aging, wrinkles, sunspots and pigment changes.

As dermatologists, we recommend against trying to obtain a base tan prior to vacation. We recommend patients instead wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to protect against both UVA and UVB radiation. Sun protective clothing and staying out of the sun during the middle of the day when it is most intense will additionally help to protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun and allow you to vacation with skin safety in mind.