Getting a 'base tan': Does it prevent sunburn?

I'm leaving soon on a vacation to Florida. A friend of mine advised me to go to a tanning salon before my trip, to help prevent sunburn. Is this recommended?

- No name given / Minnesota

Answer

Many people go to tanning salons to get a so-called "base tan" before leaving on a beach vacation. The theory behind this is a few sessions of indoor tanning will protect your skin from sunburn in a sunny climate. But there's no proof that this is true.

Tanning under the sun or a sunlamp gives protection that is equivalent to a sun protection factor (SPF) of 4 or less, which translates into a little extra time in the sun before you start to burn. But the larger issue is that any change in skin color is a sign of damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Repeated exposure to UV radiation — whether from the sun or a sunlamp — increases your risk of premature skin aging and skin cancer.

The best way to protect your skin from the sun — at the beach and at home — is to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or above. Sunscreens that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide stay on longer and are especially good for water sports. Other tips for protecting your skin:

• Avoid the midday sun.
• Wear sun-protective clothing such as hats with broad brims.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours.

Rarely, an individual may have a medical condition — such as certain types of eczema or psoriasis — for which a doctor recommends pre-exposure to ultraviolet light before vacationing in a sunny climate.

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