THE FINAL countdown has begun. In less than a week, students across Grounds will fall into the paradise of Spring Break. With the weeklong recess rapidly approaching over the next several days, a phenomenon will spread among U.Va. students, and it will come in the desire for a miraculous tan in the midst of winter weather.
Many students opt to spend their week of break in more tropical climates. Unfortunately, in the weeks before leaving for break, the anticipation of "fun in the sun" gets lost somewhere between the sunscreen bottles and the beach towels and students head out for a base tan, courtesy of a tanning salon. Students should not spend their time and money on tanning salons. Not only is the use of a tanning bed a high risk to skin health, it also is unnecessary and unnatural.
Anyone can look like they went somewhere tropical for Spring Break. It's quick, easy and cheaper than plane tickets or gas money. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, by simply lying in a tanning bed for 10 to 20 minutes, you can produce the same effect as by spending the entire day on the beach. Even with the price benefit, the logic behind choosing 20 minutes of an enclosed non-scenic UV ray emitting capsule for a mid-winter tan over a fun-filled day of frolicking on the beach with friends, natural scenery and an added bonus of a tan is baffling.
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Many students hit up the tanning booths before they leave on break so that they won't burn as easily once on vacation. Other students tan because they think they look healthier with a little more color in their skin. Studies by the AAD, however, continually show that tanning is neither beneficial nor safe, no matter how long or how often one tans.
Tanning of any sort is a sign of skin damage. Tanning occurs when the skin produces additional pigment in order to protect itself against sunburn from ultraviolet rays. When you get a tan, you expose your skin to UVB rays that cause sunburns as well as to UVA rays that penetrate the skin more deeply.
Studies by the AAD have found danger in exposure to ultraviolet rays in general, whether it is through natural sunlight or an indoor tanning bed. The organization also has linked UVA rays to malignant melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.
Still, over one million Americans visit indoor tanning salons every day.
Do not go and fake tan before hitting the tropics for spring break. People will not think more highly of you if you show up in Florida with a beautifully bronzed body versus a shocking hue of winter white. Most likely, people won't even notice.
Even with its negative aspects, a little bit of sun can be good. The tanning industry maintains that tanning is beneficial to your health. It stimulates the production of vitamin D, which helps to build bones. While dermatologists agree that UVB and UVA exposure does help produce vitamin D, they point out that most people only need a few minutes of sunlight each day, much less than it takes to get a tan, in order to produce the amount of vitamin D the body needs.
The evidence supporting the damage caused by UVA and UVB rays is indisputable. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, UV radiation brings about the genetic mutations that eventually can lead to cancer. Overexposure to sunlight also leads to premature aging of the skin. If not even for the fear of cancer, students should stay out of the sun for cosmetic reasons.
If you absolutely can't fathom the idea of leaving your room this week without some semblance of a tan, use a tanning lotion product. They are safer and still have the natural tan effect in both duration and looks. It may take more effort to achieve the tan - what with having to physically apply the lotion and all - but in the end, it is worth a little bit of effort to further reduce your chances of getting cancer.
Spend this next week finishing up work in classes and packing up for break. Don't let yourself worry about tanning appointments so that you will look good in your bathing suit the minute you step onto the beach. People will not notice or care how tan you are when the week begins, and you shouldn't either. As Spring Break approaches, finalize your plans, not your tans. If you want to risk your health by getting a tan, then do so in the fun and social setting of the beach, not in an isolated UV ray-emitting capsule. And remember to always wear sunscreen.
(Alex Roosenburg's column usually appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at aroosenburg@cavalierdaily.com.)
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