How does sun tanning cause skin cancer

This includes UV rays from the sun, but also from sunbeds and tanning lamps. UV radiation damages DNA in your skin cells, which can accumulate over time and increase the risk of genetic mutations that cause skin cancer.

The more often you get burnt, the more damage is done and the higher the risk of skin cancer. The best thing to do is to stay out of the sun, cover up when you have to go outside and give your skin time to heal. Drink plenty of water, use cool compresses and pain medication if necessary and see your GP if you think the burn is more severe than can be handled at home. For more advice, please see the NHS website on sunburn. The single best thing you can do for your skin is to never get sunburnt.

Getting sunburnt just once every two years can triple your risk of melanoma — the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Using sun lotion with a high SPF, covering up with clothes, staying in the shade and avoiding the midday sun are all sensible things to do. Check out the NHS website for more tips on sun safety.

Tanning beds also send out harmful UV rays and a single session can increase your risk of skin cancer. The WHO puts them in the same category — carcinogenic to humans — as cigarette smoking. UVB rays — B as in burn — hit the top layer of your skin and cause the typical symptoms of sunburn.

They damage DNA and kickstart an inflammatory response, leading to swelling, redness, heat and pain in the affected area.

Some of the cells in your skin will also start producing melanin to protect the skin, resulting in a tan. But any form of tan means that DNA in your skin cells has been damaged, so unfortunately there is no safe amount of tanning. For melanoma skin cancer, any change to your skin can be a concern and people are advised to regularly check their entire body for new or changed moles.

The commonly used guidelines include looking for the ABCD signs:. What are the chances of skin cancer from tanning beds? An artificial tanning machine can emit up to three times as much UV radiation as the midday summer sun, and tanning beds and skin cancer have been irrefutably linked. That means solariums — even in the past — are absolutely a no-go. The other alternative is to relax and forget about the tan altogether. Feb Feb 4. Feb 2.

Feb 1. Jan The best way to prevent sunburn is to seek the shade, wear protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and UV blocking sunglasses, and apply sunscreen every day. Make healthy skin a way of life. The Facts. The Risks. How They Affect You. Your best defense is to avoid tanning altogether. What causes tanning? What is at stake? This damage is cumulative, starting from the very first tan. Your Health One in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of Worldwide, there are more skin cancer cases due to indoor tanning than there are lung cancer cases due to smoking.

Your Appearance Tanning changes and ages your skin. If you do develop skin cancer, you run the risk of further, sometimes unsightly changes to your appearance. Tanning facts and risks. Tanning FAQs.