Spring break 2012 is just around the corner, and with the warm weekends, it’s almost as if the weather is giving us a tiny taste of the fun-filled week to come. The sunshine also invites us to partake in one of southern California’s favorite pass times: tanning. After all, who doesn’t want a nice glow to show off during spring break?
But where exactly is the line drawn between a healthy glow and neon orange? Lauren Conrad and Snooki Polizzi? Freckles and Melanoma? The point is: as much as lying out in the sun with a book or friends can be fun, there needs to be a healthy medium that doesn’t cause harm to our bodies. Here are five tips to take advantage of getting some healthy Vitamin D from the sun without putting our skin’s aging on fast-forward.
1. The cardinal rule comes first: Always use a product with SPF! Whether it be SPF 2 sun tan lotion, or SPF 65 sun block—SPF 1 million if you’re skin is sensitive and pale like mine—if you’re going to spend an entire day out at the pool or beach. SPF is what protects us from harmful UV rays that can cause skin cancer.
2. In addition to the first rule, use make up with a minimum of SPF 15 in it on a daily basis. Sun damage can cause wrinkles, and our faces are constantly in the sun: from when we’re walking around all day to class or a quick run to Starbucks. While we’re going to have to get wrinkles at some point, let’s at least try and keep them off our faces for as long as possible.
3. Don’t get addicted! Just like with everything else in life: moderation is key. Tanning for a few hours outside is fine, but making more than one trip a day to a tanning salon is just crazy ( and dangerous), plus the cost will really start to add up.
4. Drink water like your life depends on it. Being in the sun can dehydrate some people more than others, so make sure to take a water bottle with you to sip on where ever you tan. It’s suggested everyone should drink about eight cups of water per day, so might as well knock out a few of them while soaking up some sun!
5. Don’t expose sunburns. This one may seem obvious, but it is still just as important. If you’re sunburnt, make sure to put Aloe Vera on the burn, and if you have to go back into the sun, put extra strong sunblock over it to protect it.
This last one may change from person to person, but I find that while laying down in the sun can be relaxing, time also goes by much slower. So stay active in the sun by swimming, playing volleyball, or taking the dog to the beach! Happy tanning and stay classy, San Diego State—and by classy we mean keeping within a reasonable shade of “tan.”