Lots of teenage girls love having the perfect tan. When summer comes around, you might get out your bikini and your tanning oil and lie out in the sun for hours at a time. Some girls can’t even wait all winter and take to the artificial tanning beds and booths to get a year-long bronze. While a tiny bit of sun can be healthy because of the positive effects of Vitamin D, the sun is overwhelmingly harmful to your skin. Did you know that a tan is actually skin damage? A sunburn is extensive damage. When ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun make contact with your skin, your body is triggered to produce melanin—the pigment that makes your skin brown—as a protector for the damaged skin cells. Ultraviolet rays have been directly linked to skin cancer. Other long-term effects of sunburns and suntans include wrinkling, age spots, skin discoloration and blotchiness.

Even if you think you have a long way to go before you have to be concerned about cancer, consider this: Today, dermatologists are treating people in their twenties for skin cancer. And that’s not so far off, is it? Skin cancer is one of the most serious forms of cancer, but you can do a lot to protect your skin and help to prevent it.

Start by using sunscreen (everyday, not just when you’re going out to tan). Your best bet for protection from ultraviolet rays is to use a high SPF sunscreen lotion. SPF stands for sun protection factor, and indicates how long protection will last (make sure you protect your lips too!). That means that an SPF 8 won’t offer stronger protection from the sun than an SPF 15, but the 15 will last longer. Most dermatologists—skin doctors—recommend an SPF 30 at all times, even when you're not out "tanning." Keep sun exposure at a minimum and remember to reapply sunscreen every few hours and after swimming. Wear hats with wide brims (to provide extra coverage to sensitive skin on the face) and clothing that covers you up. You'll also want to have a pair of great shades that can protect your eyes from the ultraviolet light. The American Cancer Society recommends staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's UV rays are strongest. Bottom line, unless you want to be an old lady with alligator-wrinkled, worn-out looking skin, go for the paler look and say bye-bye to tanning.

Some girls think that going to a tanning bed is a safer alternative than lying out in the sun. This isn’t true. Tanning beds have the same damaging effects on your skin as the sun. Both emit harmful ultraviolet rays, which are the leading cause of skin cancer and premature aging (wrinkles).

If you just can’t stand the thought of being pale for the summer, then check out self-tanning lotions at the pharmacy. Some of these can produce very realistic “tans”—and they’re safe. There is also a new airbrush tanning procedure available at many spas and salons that uses a chemical called DHA (dihydroxyacetone). Remember that even though this procedure doesn’t contain any damaging ultraviolet rays, it is relatively new, so it hasn’t been fully tested for all health effects.

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