Does Sunscreen Prevent Tanning?

By: Margaux Reese
November 04, 2021

Sunscreen is like a shield for your skin. It blocks out UV rays before they can reach your skin. Wearing sunscreen is the best way to protect your skin from sunburn and skin cancer, as well as aging and wrinkles that can also come from sun exposure.

But how does sunblock affect tanning? Sunscreen does a great job protecting your skin from harmful UV rays, but yes, it also affects your ability to tan. The fact of the matter is that while you will still get somewhat of a tan while wearing sunscreen, you won’t get as dark of a tan.

But what’s more important than your ability to tan is your ability to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. With proper sunscreen use, you can still achieve that sun-kissed look, while keeping safe.

We know you have pressing sunscreen questions, like “Does sunscreen prevent you from tanning?”, “How does sunscreen work?”, and “What happens to your skin while you tan?” Read on to learn how to make the right choices when it comes to protecting your skin.

Does Sunscreen Prevent Tanning?

First and foremost, can you still tan with sunscreen? The answer is, sort of. Sunscreen does wonders for skin protection, but it isn’t 100% effective. Sunscreen acts like a shield for your skin, but that doesn’t mean it’s impenetrable. You can still tan with sunscreen, as UV rays can still reach your skin, even when you’re wearing plenty of sunscreen.

To get the most out of your sunscreen, it’s vital to apply your sunscreen correctly, reapply it often, and wear a high enough SPF. Even so, SPF 100 only blocks 99% of UVB rays. It’s virtually impossible to achieve total and complete protection from the sun. There’s always a risk of sun exposure, which is why wearing sunscreen every day is so important.

SPF fact provided by Environmental Working Group

How Sunscreen Works

Sunscreen works by absorbing the sun’s UV rays and deflecting or absorbing them–depending on what type of sunscreen you’re using–before they can affect your skin. UV rays are always present, rain or shine, which is why it’s important to wear sunscreen all year round. There are two types of UV radiation that can affect your skin: UVA rays and UVB rays.

UVB rays can lead to sunburn and damage to the outermost layer of the skin. UVA rays have longer wavelengths, which can penetrate deeper into the skin. These types of sunburn can last and can lead to more serious damage and even skin cancer.

The SPF ratings of sunscreen typically only relate to UVB rays, but you can find broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects you from both. The SPF number tells you what percentage of UVB rays the sunscreen blocks. The higher the SPF, the more sun protection you’ll have.

Rather than selecting a sunscreen in the single digits, you’re better off skipping on the tan and opting for SPF 30 or SPF 50, especially on high UV index days. You may not get that sun-kissed look today, but your skin will be much more likely to stay healthy and wrinkle-free for years to come.

woman applying sunscreen on her leg

What Happens to Your Skin When You Tan

Still want a tan? Here’s the thing: any amount of tan is technically considered sun damage. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, tanning is caused by exposure to UV radiation from the sun that causes genetic damage to cells on the outermost layer of your skin. The damage is a red flag for your skin, so it produces more melanin to prevent further injury, resulting in a tan.

That’s what a tan is: your skin trying to protect itself from sun damage. It’s clear that any sort of tan isn’t good for your skin. There is no such thing as a healthy tan.

Wondering about tanning beds? A tanning bed mimics the sun’s UV rays—and is just as harmful. According to the AIM at Melanoma Foundation, indoor tanning is linked to melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell skin cancer. According to recent studies, the risk of cutaneous melanoma increased by 27% for those ever exposed to indoor tanning.

Staying out of a tanning bed is absolutely essential for healthy, youthful skin.

Tanning bed use and melanoma fact from the American Academy of Dermatology

 

4 Negative Side Effects of Tanning

Tanning’s negative side effects are plentiful and far outweigh its only benefit: tanned skin. Let’s review the many consequences of tanning, ranging from undesirable to downright dangerous.

Sunburn

Sunburn is, of course, the most widely known consequence of tanning. You’ve surely experienced reddened skin that’s hot to the touch and sometimes painful. Your sunburns may even have resulted in peeling skin. But those are commonplace. What’s the big deal?

Sunburns occur in three different degrees, ranging in severity from first to third. First-degree sunburns are most common, while second-degree are rare, and third-degree are almost never caused by sun exposure.

Not only are all sunburns painful and—let’s face it—unsightly, but they all do lasting damage to your skin and have long-term effects, like skin damage, premature aging, and skin cancer. More on that below.

Aging

The inevitable damage done to your skin by tanning results in premature aging, also known as photoaging. The long-term effects of tanning can do all sorts of damage to the appearance of your skin, including:

  • Creating dark sun spots.
  • Contributing to a leather-like skin appearance.
  • Breaking down your skin’s collagen and elastin fibers, causing looser and more wrinkly skin.

Spider Veins

Spider veins are damaged blood vessels that sit just beneath your skin and look like blue, red, or purple webs. They’re typically harmless and may be caused by injury or hormonal changes. Many look to tanning as a way to mask the appearance of spider veins. However, tanning may make spider veins worse.

Not only can tanning make spider veins darker and more visible, but it can also make them more severe. As UV rays break down your skin’s collagen, spider veins may become enlarged and even painful.

Skin Cancer

Of course, one of the most devastating effects of tanning is its dramatic increase in your risk of skin cancer. UV radiation damages your skin cells, causing them to grow abnormally. It also weakens your immune system and its defenses against cancer cells.

While any type of tanning can lead to skin cancer, tanning beds are the most insidious. Worldwide, there are more skin cancer cases due to indoor tanning than there are lung cancer cases due to smoking.

The solution is simple: keep out of the sun whenever possible, and wear sunscreen when you can’t avoid it. While SPF does prevent tanning, it also prevents its many devastating side effects.

Negative effects of tanning.

 

Can You Still Tan with SPF 50?

The higher SPF your sunscreen is, the more sun protection you’ll get, which means a higher SPF does prevent tanning.

According to the American Skin Association, a sunscreen’s SPF number determines how long it will protect you before you need to reapply. Let’s break it down: With SPF 50, 2% of UV rays are able to penetrate the skin. That means you’ll only be protected from 98% of the sun’s UV rays.

To get the most protection from your sunscreen:

  • Apply it at least 30 minutes before going outside.
  • Reapply at least every two hours.
  • Reapply more frequently (approximately every 40 minutes) if you’re swimming or sweating heavily.

Why It’s Essential to Wear Sunscreen

It’s clear that sunscreen is an essential part of your daily skincare routine. Applying sunscreen every day:

  • Lowers your risk of skin cancer
  • Prevents sun damage
  • Prevents early signs of aging and wrinkles
  • Protects against painful sunburn
  • Promotes an even skin tone

Thought sunscreen was only necessary outside? When we say every day, we mean it. UV rays can easily penetrate glass and clouds. Even if you spend a cloudy day inside, there’s still a risk of sun damage, especially if you’re someone who works in front of a window. In summer or winter, rain or shine, inside or outside, you should always wear sunscreen.

Tanning and skin damage facts

7 Tips for How to Wear Sunscreen for Optimal Protection

It’s not enough to quickly apply sunscreen on your way out the door. For optimal protection, you have to wear sunscreen properly. To effectively apply your sunscreen:

  1. Sunscreen should be worn daily, no matter the weather, inside or outside.

  2. Sunscreen should be applied to the face and any other areas that will be exposed to the sun.

  3. You should wear sunscreen with at least 30 SPF, but 50 or higher is even better.

  4. You should apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside.

  5. You should reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours.

  6. You should wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and a hat when outside.

  7. You should put sunscreen on your lips as well.

How to Choose a Sunscreen

First and foremost, you want to wear sunscreen with at least SPF 30, if not SPF 50 or higher. If you have fair skin, highly sensitive skin, or a family history of skin cancer, then you might even need to go higher. You can never be too careful when it comes to skin protection!

Sun protection items and towel on top of bed

 

There are two different types of sunscreen: mineral sunscreen and chemical sunscreen.

Chemical sunscreens protect your skin by using chemicals to neutralize the sun’s harmful rays. Mineral sunscreens use only natural ingredients and don’t penetrate your skin, so they don’t need to be absorbed into your skin in order to work. Mineral sunscreens sit on top of the skin and deflect UV rays. They do a great job of protecting you without exposing you to chemicals.

It’s also a good idea to choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen whenever possible. These sunscreens protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays, offering more comprehensive protection against sun damage.

Our Favorite Sunscreens

Colorescience is committed to creating sunscreens that aren’t only protective but cater to different needs and have added benefits that will make you eager to apply them every day. These are a few of our favorites:

Alternatives to Tanning

Interested in protecting your skin from sun damage, but don’t want to give up bronzed skin? There are so many alternatives to tanning that will still leave you looking sun-kissed without the long-term side effects:

  • Use sunscreen with bronzer or tinted sunscreen for facial tanning without the risk of dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and more.
  • Get a spray tan for an instant, all-over glow that doesn’t require hours in the sun.
  • Apply self-tanning lotions, which use a chemical to react with the top layer of the skin to cause a darkening effect.
The risk of cutaneous melanoma increased by 27% for those ever exposed to indoor tanning. Source: National Library of Medicine

 

Other Ways to Protect Your Skin While Outdoors

If you’re planning on spending considerable time outdoors, you’ll want to employ multiple methods of protection. Other ways to protect your skin while outdoors include:

  • A wide-brimmed hat to fully shade your face and neck from the sun
  • Lightweight, breathable clothing, or even clothing with ultraviolet protection factor (UPF), for an added layer of protection on your skin
  • Bring the shade with you by bringing an umbrella or parasol

Keep Your Skin Healthy & Glowing with the Right Sun Protection

It’s clear: there’s no such thing as a healthy tan. The key to keeping your skin healthy and glowing throughout your lifetime is to use high-quality sun protection.

Your long-term well-being is so much more important than that golden glow. A tan may look good for a moment, but when you start to see wrinkles at a young age, you’ll regret having not worn enough sunscreen.

Protect your skin with mineral sunscreen from Colorescience and get an artificial glow instead. We’ll never tell!