When Nashville, Tenn., mom Heather Jenkins went shopping for sunscreen to protect her young son’s skin last summer, she found herself searching for terms such as “natural” and “organic” on the bottles and tubes that lined the store shelves.

“I started looking for things that were as natural as possible,” says Jenkins, 29, whose son, Caleb, is now 18 months old. “Being a mom, I don’t want harmful things going into him and going into the environment.”

Shoppers such as Jenkins, who have embraced green lifestyles, are thinking of shunning the chemicals found in regular sunscreens and opting for those with more natural bases.

Regular sunscreens contain chemicals that absorb ultraviolet rays. Natural alternatives, such as those made from minerals, block UV rays. Mineral-based sunblocks contain either titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.

Dermatologist Michel McDonald understands why people may seek natural alternatives, but she says the chemicals found in regular sunscreens do not appear to pose health concerns and are, in fact, organic. Some brands promoted as being natural and gentle, such as Aveeno and Neutrogena, contain such chemicals.

“There are multiple studies demonstrating absorption into the blood but very few on whether this actually alters hormone levels significantly, and the topic is controversial,” says McDonald, who treats skin cancer patients as an assistant professor of medicine and dermatology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.

The main reason to try all-natural alternatives is if you break out in a rash using regular sunscreen, she says. Her only concern, though, is that the mineral sunblocks may not be as effective as those containing chemical absorbers.

Labels may mislead

Labeling on many all-natural sunblocks advertise that they are PABA-free or free of phthalates and parabens, which are chemical preservatives. That may sound comforting to consumers, but those ingredients are being phased out in regular sunscreens anyway, McDonald says.

At the same time, consumers should be aware that many brands throw around words such as “natural” and “organic,” but because the government doesn’t regulate those terms, buyers should carefully read what’s in the product.

Although awareness about sun protection is growing, most people still don’t include sunscreen as part of their daily routine, McDonald says.

More than a million people were diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma in the United States last year, the most common form of cancer that develops from cumulative sun exposure, McDonald says.

Further, melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, is on the rise. The sometimes life-threatening form of cancer is showing up in 1 of every 80 people, McDonald says.

Fortunately, deep tans don’t seem to be as popular as they used to be, she says. Also, self-tanning lotions and mists have emerged as a safer alternative to soaking in the sun or visiting a tanning bed.

“We want people to live their lives - to play golf and go boating - but do it sensibly,” McDonald says.

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Contact Bonna Johnson at bjohnson(AT)tennessean.com.

There are practical reasons why sunless tanning is much better than any other forms of tanning. One of those reasons is the ease of maintaining a sunless tan. It is a common knowledge and it is evident that sunless tanning is much more convenient. To get it, you need only to apply to your skin specific sunless tanning products like lotions, sprays, gels or creams. You can do so anywhere you are, whatever other significant chores or tasks you are doing. Moreover, you can do sunless tanning alone.

July 30, 2008 ( PowerHomeBiz ) - Clinton, IA      – Like any other form of tan using all products and techniques available, it is inevitable that skin tan fades through time. It is a general knowledge that the human skin is completely renewing itself every 30 days to 45 days. That is the reason why small and exterior scars and marks can easily and naturally go off after more than a month. That natural process of skin renewal is also based on the fact that the human skin is consistently wearing off dead skin cells.

Before finally getting to know measures to maintain a sunless tan, it would be helpful and ideal if the natural coloration process in the skin would be further and more clearly understood. As you see, tan is produced when the skin produces enough melanin that gives the skin its rosy or brownish color. The more the skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and from artificial sources like UV lamps in tanning beds and booths, the more it produces melanin and the more tanned the skin would appear. Sunbathing and indoor tanning at tanning beds produce melanin in the basal layer, which is the deepest part of the skin epidermis.

In sunless tanning, melanin production and coloration is done at a shallower stratum corneum, which is the outer part of the skin epidermis. To understand sunless tanning more, be informed that sunless tanning products prompt skin coloration through interaction of basic ingredients with the skin’s dead cells, which are abundant in the outer skin layer.

Practical guidelines for sunless tan maintenance

Thus, with that basic understanding of sunless tanning occurrence and effect to the skin, it would be easier to understand and set sunless tan maintenance measures. Here are some simple and practical tips on how to do so.

• Once the tan manifests signs of fading, you could immediately re-apply your particular sunless skin tanning product. If you are satisfied with the tan you have got, then continue using the product. If you want more, or if the tan was too much, try other forms. Sunless tanning products can be in creams, gels, sprays and lotions. Usually, sunless tans last about a week. Wearing off a dead skin cells is natural and inevitable, so there is nothing you can do to prevent fading of sunless tan. Maintenance, however, is as easy as getting it initially.
• Hydrate your skin always from inside and out. Do not let your skin run and feel dry. At the same time, maintain skin hydration by drinking adequate water and juices. Keeping the skin hydrated somehow helps slow wearing off of dead skin cells. And if dead skin cells are kept for prolonged duration, so is sunless skin tan.
• Avoid exfoliating the skin while aiming to prolong or maintain the sunless tan. Skin products with alcohol and strong cleansing bases are not ideal for sunless tan maintenance.

Alternative use of a bronzer

There is one alternative the usual forms of sunless tanning. That is the use of bronzer. If you are keen on maintaining sunless tan, bronzer can pose a good option for you. Unlike all other forms and techniques to getting a sunless tan, bronzers are temporary skin tanning. To set the difference, all other sunless tanning products give out a desired skin coloration that would last for about a week, whereas bronzer would only last until it is washed off from the skin.

Thus, bronzer could be a great sunless tanning alternative. Bronzers are usually moisturizers and powders that are applied on the skin to give the skin surface an appearance as if it had undergone a normal tanning process. Good thing about bronzer is that it is washed off once the skin is washed through sweating, taking a shower or bathing.

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Every day about a million people visit a tanning bed to get bronzed. Every year, almost 30 million people tan indoors. From that staggering figure, 2.3 million are teens. The biggest motivator for these individuals is certainly a vain one: In the eyes of the current cultural standard, tanning means looking pretty, skinny and healthy. So, it’s not surprising that millions flock to get their tan on.

Myth mania
There are an array of common claims that extol indoor tanning, whether they are from friends and relatives or straight from tanning salon organizations. In reality, however, these claims are merely myths.

·”Indoor tanning is safer than sunbathing outdoors.” According to the American Tanning Institute, the biggest advantage that tanning beds have over regular ol’ sunlight is more control. On its Web site, the organization explains that being outdoors leaves people “at the mercy of many uncontrolled elements,” such as ground reflection, cloudy days, latitude and high altitude.
But, the element of control doesn’t prevail over environmental elements when a tanning bed’s lamps are so powerful: New high-pressure lamps at tanning salons are so much more intense that they emit 15 times more UV radiation than the sun, according to Everyday Health.

·”It does a body good.” Organizations like the Indoor Tanning Association (ITA) assert that tanning is actually good for the body. Just recently, the organization released a series of campaigns, announcing, “Go get a tan. Your body will thank you,” reports ABC News. A representative of ITA told ABC News, “Not only is moderate tanning completely safe, more and more it’s becoming just what the doctor ordered.”
But did the doctor order aging skin, eye impairment, immune suppression and damage to DNA cells? According to the American Academy of Dermatology, studies show that these are all likely complications of indoor tanning.

·”Tanning beds are a rich source of vitamin D.” On its Web site, the ITA states, “Moderate exposure to sunlight is the only way to help the body manufacture the vitamin D it needs.”
However, dermatologists disagree. “Under no circumstances should anyone be misled into thinking that natural sunlight or tanning beds are better sources of vitamin D than foods or nutritional supplements,” explains dermatologist Vincent A. DeLeo, M.D., associate professor of clinical dermatology at Columbia University and chairman of the dermatology department at St. Luke’s Roosevelt and Beth Israel Hospital Centers.
Instead of risking sun damage to attain vitamin D, choose fortified foods, fatty fish like salmon and mackerel or vitamin D supplements — always talk to a doctor first before beginning a new supplement.

·”People can tan all they want as long as they don’t burn.” Though some tanning salon companies will educate the public on the importance of not getting a sunburn, it isn’t solely a sunburn that puts people at higher risk for cancer. “Skin cancer comes from a mutation of DNA in the skin cells. A sunburn is not a sign you have mutated the DNA. It is very possible to damage your skin without a burn,” dermatologist Jody A. Levine, M.D., tells WebMD.
So, as a tanning enthusiast, even if sunburn never occurs, the skin can still be at risk for skin cancer. Dr. Levine explains, “It is the UVB radiation that is more likely to cause a sunburn, and UVA — used in most sun beds — causes deeper skin damage leading to skin cancer.”

·”Indoor tanning means only tanning for a short amount of time.” At first glance, this makes sense: There’s no way a mere 20 minutes in a tanning bed can invite skin damage. According to The Boston Globe, however, spending 20 minutes in a tanning bed is equal to being at the beach for one to three hours without sun protection.

·”Using a tanning bed a few times won’t hurt.” Many believe that minimal tanning — several sessions here and there — doesn’t do much harm. But, it isn’t necessary to be a tanning bed regular to incur damage: Just one tanning session can mimic the damage seen in early skin cancers, reports ABC News.

·”Tanning causes melanoma: Hype.” This ad from ITA suggests that recent reports — that state indoor tanning increases the risk of skin cancer — are simply propaganda. According to Marie Claire, however, tanning indoors boosts the risk of melanoma by 75 percent before the age of 35. Considering millions of teens turn to tanning beds, this is especially alarming. In fact, according to the president of the American Academy of Dermatology, C. William Hanke, M.D., an American person dies every hour from melanoma.