Be in the Know for a Healthy Glow

To tan or not to tan: what's a girl to do? Let's break it down. Before you buy a fake bake package or lather yourself in oil and head to Mexico, get your facts straight. Tiza loves a woman who makes wise choices--especially when it comes to the skin you're in.

What is a tan? According to Merriam-Webster.com, the word itself derives from old school English and Latin words that mean "to turn to leather." That's enough to make you think. Here's the low down: Sunlight makes your skin produce melanin--dark skin pigment, which builds up and protects against UV ray's bad effects. It takes several days to build up enough melanin to a protective level. The more you have, the darker you are, and the more protected you are from evil UV sunrays.

But what are UV rays? The sun hits the Earth in three types of rays--UVA, UVB and UVC. The atmosphere keeps UVC out, but not the first two. UVB is the bad guy who causes cancer and wrinkles. Many surfaces like water, snow and sand, reflect UV rays, which amplifies sunshine's effects. Hence, sunburns while skiing.

So, what is a sunburn? The sun will 'burn' your skin's cells when it has no protection from UV rays--whether natural melanin or sunscreen. Your skin responds to UV rays by elevating blood flow to the top skin layers to begin damage repair. That explains the redness. Nerve endings are super sensitive on any wound, including burns. That's why it hurts.

How does sunscreen work? Sunscreen basically contains chemicals that absorb UVB rays, acting like a shield for your skin. Sun Protection Factor--or SPF--is a protective multiplier. If you're okay in the sun for twenty minutes, SPF 20 will keep you safe for about 200 minutes. It takes about 30 minutes for sun screen to bind to your skin, which is why your mom made you sit by the pool to 'let your sunscreen dry'. SPF only protects against UVB, so you still tan a little with sunscreen applied.

What are my options? The tanning industry offers many alternatives to spending hours sweating in the sun or a tanning booth. From spray on tans to creams, lotions and gels, you have plenty of options to get a healthy, gorgeous glow for prom.