We’ve all been there — become absolutely convinced that something being spruiked by our favourite influencer in our feeds is going to make our life at minimum 10% better than it used to be… And then been bitterly disappointed when it doesn’t live up to the hype, and perhaps even made our lives worse.
Instead of the latest ‘it’ product, it’s time we stepped back and looked at a trend that keeps rearing its unwelcome head every year: suntanning.
It’s not and never has been worth any hype — with the downsides far, far outweighing any perceived reasons to partake.
Accelerated Skin Ageing Is So Not It
For a start, nothing causes visible signs of premature ageing in skin like suntanning. There’s a simple reason why dermatologists, time and time again, recommend wearing sunscreen daily and staying out of the sun as their number one anti-ageing ‘hack’ or must-do.
Call me vain, but if there’s a free and time-saving way to actively prevent the accelerated development of hyperpigmentation, wrinkles and skin texture that is best described as leathery, I’m on board. That’s what avoiding excess UV exposure helps prevent and suntanning is literally the opposite of that.
Suntans Work Against Your Anti-Ageing Skincare
If you have any semblance of a skincare routine. Whether that’s cleansing and moisturising or a twelve-step Korean skincare routine with the works — you’re already invested in maintaining your skin health.
In a single sweep, suntanning will undo all of the time, care and commitment you’ve put into maintaining your skin health. Think of it this way — if you’ve taken the time to put on makeup, why would you then go and immediately wipe your face with a damp cloth?
There’s No Such Thing As A ‘Healthy’ Glow
For too long, we’ve been sold a lie that suntans give us a ‘healthy glow’. The truth is, said ‘glow’ is a low level burn that your skin is fighting tooth and nail to prevent.
In the same way that suntanning literally adds up over time to age our skin, the same is true of increasing our risk of skin cancer. With each suntan, whether accidental or intentional, we are voluntarily increasing our risk of developing skin cancer.
Not only is skin cancer no walk in the park, it’s also one of the most easily preventable cancers. It’s a complete no brainer to forgo lying in the sun for hours and instead embrace your skin tone that’s actually healthy — your natural one.
Remember, you can safely enjoy the outdoors if you slip on sun-protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible, slop on broad spectrum, water resistant, SPF30 sunscreen (and reapply every two hours). Slap on a hat that protects your head, neck and ears, seek shade and slide on your favourite sunnies.
To find out more about how to protect your skin from premature ageing and damage, check out the Cancer Council website.
