Fake ‘n’ Bake and the Oompa Loompa Syndrome

People that know me, know that I am a big advocate for safe sun care, and am really against tanning booths, beds and the like – or for a more realistic term – fake ‘n’ bakes. Yes, I agree that a nice tan can make you look a little better, and feel a little better about yourself, but do people really think they look good when they tan to excess? And do they think it’s actually good for them?

There are far too many people out there that tan beyond anything that looks natural, leaving them to become the dreadful ‘oompa loompa’ orange. People achieve this look through tanning beds or self-tanning. Tanning beds are not safe, and offer you no health advantages, not to mention that you’ll look ridiculous if you over tan. The point is to have it look real, and if you spend a lot of time under the bulb, your tan is bound to look fake. Although, I do congratulate those who use self-tanners and not tanning beds, moderation is definitely key. If you turn orange through self-tanning, you are doing something wrong.

Aside from people walking around looking like characters from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, there are major risks involved with the use of tanning beds. It seems that the majority of over-tanning comes from an addiction to tanning salons. Canada's dermatologists are worried that skin cancer (melanoma) is increasing among young patients. Tanning beds may be the cause for this increase. Young people aged 15 to 29, especially women, seem to be particularly vulnerable to melanoma. It is the third most common form of cancer in young Canadian women.

[To see what the different types of melanoma are, and pictures to help you identify skin cancer see this link: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/melanoma/DS00575]

The problem is posed to get worse. The Canadian Dermatology Association forecasts 75,100 Canadians will be diagnosed with non-malignant skin cancer this year, and 5,000 will learn they have melanoma. Wait times to see a dermatologist have doubled in the past five years to 10 weeks. The CDA's most recent data shows a median age for Canadian dermatologists in the 50s, with 45 per cent set to retire within the next 10 years. This could pose a big problem if unsafe tanning continues to rise.

Using the excuse that tanning beds are a good source of Vitamin D, or that you want a base tan so you won’t burn on vacation, is total crap. UVB rays trigger the synthesis of vitamin D in the skin, and thus are solely responsible for the healthy benefits of sunshine. However, while UVB rays account for the health benefits of sunshine, tanning salons are more interested in UVA rays. The average tanning bulb emits 95 per cent UVA radiation and only five per cent UVB radiation. This calibration maximizes the tanning effects of the machine and minimizes the risk of burning. Unfortunately, it also minimizes the amount of vitamin D that can be metabolized and maximizes the amount of harmful, cancer causing UVA rays.

Most tanning beds, while they might offer a golden-brown hue, put you at risk of unnecessary, excessive exposure to dangerous UVA rays, and are by no means a substitute for good old-fashioned sunshine. Even short-term use of tanning beds can cause long-term skin damage and increase your chances of getting skin cancer.

When people say they are only tanning to get the so-called “base tan” before a beach vacation, their theory behind this is that a few sessions of indoor tanning will protect their skin from sunburn in a sunny climate. But there's no proof that this is true. The best way to protect your skin from the sun — at the beach and at home — is to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or above.

But many scientists believe that "safe sun" — 15 minutes or so a few times a week without sunscreen — is not only possible but helpful to health. For most people, exposing one’s arms and face to sunshine for about 20 minutes a few times per week provides the skin with enough UVB rays to eliminate vitamin D deficiencies, without causing long-term damage to the skin. This is another instance where moderation is key. If you are outside for a longer period of time, make sure that you have sunscreen on.

If you seek that tanned look, I highly recommend using gradual self-tanning products. They slowly develop a tan and largely reduce the risk of getting streaks or turning into an oompa loompa. There are many products out there that can give you that real tanned look, without any harmful effects. Yes, they may smell, but the less a product smells, the less DHA it contains, which is the ingredient that helps tan your skin in the first place. Here are a few products I like to use when looking for a natural tan.

Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer – I recently bought this product, but really enjoy it already. It takes about five applications to build up a tan, but the foam texture is really light and non-greasy, two things that really appeal to me. I also like the fact that the smell isn’t nearly as strong as other gradual self-tanners.

Jergens Natural Glow Express Body Moisturizer – This stuff really works. I notice a change in my skin colour after just two applications. It really stinks, but if you can stand the smell and want non-streaking colour fast, I highly recommend it. Tip: put it on at night so you don’t smell the DHA all day long.
Marcelle I-Bronze Self-Tanning Cloths – I use these on my face and notice a difference after two nights. My face is naturally a lot lighter than the rest of my body (perhaps because I exfoliate too much), but you will appear more tanned with these in no time, with continued application of course. These cloths smell a bit as well, but you’re not going to escape that with tanning products.

So if you’re using tanning beds as an excuse to get vitamin D or to get a base tan before a tropical vacation to reduce the risk of burning, you are sadly mistaken. You are just exposing yourself to more harmful, cancer causing UVA rays. So stop the oopma loompa trend and save your skin!