It’s the tanner’s roulette. As summer arrives and the sun gets stronger, people become more willing to take a gamble with their health – in exchange for a euphoric after-sun feeling.
Northern Californians have an erratic love-hate relationship with the sunshine. On one hand, we associate it with languorous days at the beach, outdoor adventure, bronze backs and rosy cheeks. And on the other hand, we know how powerful and dangerous it can be.
Take Danville’s Bill Ashurst for instance. He grew up in Santa Cruz by the beach and has had several cancer spots removed from his back. He sees a dermatologist frequently to get the growths frozen off with nitrogen. But you’ll still find him walking his dog or jogging shirtless at high noon on a sunny June day.
“I’ve built up a layer of protection,” he says with a smile. “I put sunscreen on the parts that stick out. It feels so good to run with your shirt off.”
It’s no secret that spending time in the sun has a precarious downside. It can cause premature aging, skin cancer and even eye disease. Pink, peeling faces speckle the streets of Danville on any Monday after a 90-degree weekend, and Bay Area dwellers often experience their first serious sunburns of the year around this time.
Still, we just can’t seem to stay in the shade.
But we feel so good…
So why are people who are educated and otherwise heath-conscious willing to take this risk with the sun? The general sentiment seems to be: If sunshine makes us look and feel so healthy, it can’t be that unhealthy.
Turns out there may be something to that. Recent studies have shown the sun might be better for us than we thought – or at least not all bad.
New data from the University of Boston, released this spring, showed that the vitamin D produced by limited amounts of sunshine may actually reduce the risk of breast cancer and diabetes. Along with that, studies from the University of Michigan concluded that being in sunlight and warm weather drastically enhances one’s mood. And it even helps battle depression.
Jeffery Kaye, a clinical psychologist who practices in San Francisco, says he has seen the positive impact sunlight has on a patient’s mental health. He has advised patents who suffer from depression and anxiety to go outside, get sun, and be physically active.
“Many of my patients have told me they feel better getting out of doors and being in the sunshine,” he said.
He has worked with suicidal patients who were extremely affected by the weather but said even the typical person feels the impact on a much smaller level.
Dan Wiener, a clinical psychologist who specializes in mood, anxiety and sleep disorders, added another perspective. He noted that people associate sunshine with joyous, pleasant feelings and could be more apt to feel good in the sun because of this.
“Generally speaking it is a cognitive cultural phenomenon,” he said. “We frame sunshine in a happy light and, to some extent, if you think you’re happy then you are.”
This brighter outlook and mood may also be linked to our tendency to be more active because the weather is nice, he said.
“It may also be related to what people do as a result of being in the sun,” He said.
Wiener has recommended that patients suffering from depression and sleep disorders use a “light box” during the winter months. The box is used to simulate sunshine and helps produce Melatonin in the body, which is known to boost one’s mood.
It is rarely disputed among psychologists that sunlight has a positive effect on one’s mental health, Kaye said.
But we look so good…
Beauty and lifestyle products, from the sun-through golf shirt to the spray-on tanning kit, have been designed to capitalize on how attractive bronzed skin can make us look and feel.
Bill Mauser, owner of Tans Plus in Danville, says having color on your skin can boost self esteem. He said many women have told him they feel more beautiful when their skin is tanned.
“A lot of it is mental,” he said.
One woman who recently began tanning joined a dating club after months of feeling too insecure to do it, he said. Mauser said this confidence boost is not uncommon.
“I’ve had people tell me they think their tan fat looks better than their white fat,” he said.
Other appearance issues the sun helps are acne, oily skin and Scleroderma. Some dermatologists recommend patients get 15 minutes of direct, unprotected sunshine three times a week to help get rid of acne and skin disease, and to maintain a sufficient supply of vitamin D.
Katie Coleman, who works at Tans Plus in Danville, said some teenagers use the tanning beds to get rid of skin problems in the winter months.
“A lot of guys come in here, and they are embarrassed, but it helps them with their acne,” she said.
Although extensive tests haven’t been done, one current alternative to sun tanning is the sunless tan. Found at spas and beauty salons, the five-minute process colors the skin with a chemical spray that fades after two weeks. Studies funded by tanning companies show it is less harmful to use than tanning by the sun itself. Mauser said clients who have had skin cancer use it as a sun alternative.
Gorgeous…or are we?
The idea that the sun makes you more attractive is ironic – considering what sun damage can do to your skin. Valeria and Peter Siko, who own Valeria Spa in Blackhawk, said the sun stretches and dries out skin and can create very visible wrinkling.
The couple has worked with damaged skin for nearly 10 years, giving chemical peel treatments and skin care recommendations to spa patrons. Sun damage is the No. 1 skin-related issue her clients have, Valeria Siko said.
“You can really tell when there is badly sun damaged skin. For example, drivers have more damage on the left side of their face and passengers have it on the right,” she said.
Along with effects on the skin’s physical appearance, too much sun can weaken the immune system and cause eye disease like cataracts, macular degeneration and pterygium. Too much sun exposure can cause blindness and severe vision damage. In Addition cancers like basal, squamous and melanoma are the most common skin cancers and are caused by repeated burning and too much sun exposure. These cancers grow from moles and birthmarks and can range from very dark brown to skin colored.
“Melanoma is sneaky,” said Peter Siko, who is also a licensed plastic surgeon.
As attractive as the sun might make us feel, getting sick isn’t pretty.
In Brazil the perfect tan line is a sign of economic status. In the roaring ’20s, sun-kissed skin showed you were of the working class. When it comes to tanning today it seems that – like anything – moderation is the key.
Tips for the stubborn sun lover
With all of this in mind (and assuming no one is going to spend the whole summer locked away in a shady cellar), here are some realistic tips for the tanning-inclined.
1) Avoid the prime time
When it comes to sun strength, there is one age-old way to tell if you’re playing with fire. Next time you’re in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., check your shadow to see how long it is. The shorter your shadow, the more risk you have of burning. Generally speaking, if you have no shadow, then it’s time to find shade. “What I’ve seen people do is go out in the sun and burn – and then they start putting sunscreen on,” Valeria Siko said.
2)Reapply, reapply, reapply
Dermatologists recommend sunscreen be put on every two hours, especially if water or swimming is involved. “Sunscreen gives people a false sense of security,” Peter Siko said, “They think they can put a little on and they’ll be OK.” Recent lawsuits have popped up against sunscreen companies over their use of the words “sunblock” and “waterproof.” Remember that no sunscreen actually blocks the sun and that water-resistant lotion loses its potency after 40 minutes of swimming. Make sure to sure to cover all exposed skin surfaces, especially shoulders, tops of ears, scalps and noses. “It can be very misleading… I don’t think people understand SPF,” Valeria Siko said.
3)Watch out for indirect sunshine
With all of the fishing, boating and swimming the area has to offer, sun reflection can burn you before you see it coming. Anytime you are around water or snow, be extra aware of the sun. “The reflection is so strong and it is coming from every direction,” Peter Siko said. Indirect sunshine is a source of ultraviolet sunlight and is deceptive because you can’t feel it as much as direct sunlight.
4 ) Get the good stuff
With the ozone weakening, it is more crucial to have high quality sunscreen today than it was 20 years ago. “Your skin is the biggest organ in your body, you have to take care of it,” Peter Siko said. One option he recommends is physical sunscreen, made of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Unlike other sunblocks that absorb the sun, physical sunscreen reflects it. “It’s like a sheet of metal that reflects the sun,” he said. Also, remember to throw out sunscreen from last summer as most sunscreens have a shelf life of about one year.
5)Be aware and be prepared
This one is common sense. When you know you’re going to spend a day in the sun, come ready with plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated, use sunglasses or other eye protection, wear a hat to shield your face, and have sunscreen on hand. “If you have to be outside in hot weather, take breaks in the shade,” Peter Siko said. And be sure to see a skin doctor at least once a year and an eye doctor twice a year. Skin cancer is 100 percent curable if you catch it early, he said.
