Going to school in the Sunshine State, one of the major perks is just that: sunshine. University of Tampa students are often seen out by the pool, laying by the Hillsborough River, or even in one of the courtyards on campus. However, as the semester comes to a close students are realizing that they may have spent too much time hitting the dock, and not enough time hitting the books, all to capture that “healthy glow.”
In an online survey of UT students, 32 percent of students said they tan at least twice a week. Thirteen percent tan six to seven times a week.
“I hate feeling like I’m pasty,” an anonymous survey taker said. “I feel ugly if I’m not tan.”
How far will students go to get the bronze glow? Some will even skip class. According to the survey, nearly 14 percent said they skip class to tan.
“I skip class to tan because I see no relevance. Things I learn in class do not apply to my real life. However, tanning does give me instant results,” another survey taker said.
While many students are avid tanners, others don’t understand it.
“I don’t skip class to tan and people that do are wasting thousands of dollars on education,” junior Eliza Turrill said. “And they look like Doritos.”
But are students really getting a “healthy” glow? Many medical experts say that exposing your skin to the harsh rays of the sun for prolonged periods of time is not the right way to get bronzed. People know that ultraviolet (UV) rays can harm your skin and potentially cause cancer, but how exactly does that happen? Everyone has melanocytes in their skin; these cells produce melanin, the body’s natural sunscreen. The activity, or how much melanin these cells produce, is what causes darker and lighter skin tones in people.
When you lay out to tan you trigger the melanocytes to start production, but Mark Jacim, an anatomy teacher at Tampa Catholic High School, says this isn’t a good thing.
“The tan itself is the body’s response to damage, and possible changes to DNA due to UV rays,” Jacim said. The altering of DNA can eventually lead to sunburn, carcinoma or even melanoma.
A sunburn is considered a type of radiation burn caused by UV-A and UV-B rays. The reason why people have a reddish tint to their bodies when they’re sunburned is because of the billions of cells that are dying and being reborn. The area may also feel slightly warm to the touch because of the concentration of blood in the damaged area; the blood provides nutrients for the cells so that they may regenerate. But when a cell does not complete the process of regeneration it can lead to skin cancer.
When asked about tanning, Jacim said, “Honestly there is no such thing as safe tanning. I have tanned in the past, both in tanning beds and more often out in the sun. And I have had two basal cell carcinomas removed already, so I don’t try to tan anymore.”
Jacim also stated that the myth about tanning beds being healthier for you is just that.
“[Tanning] beds are not better than sun [tanning] and are worse due to your skin’s proximity to the UV bulbs,” he said.
There are many other ways to achieve a sun-kissed look without putting your skin in jeopardy. Sunless tanners have grown in popularity over the past decade and expanded their products to appeal to all ages and skin types. Beauty companies now offer a variety of lotions, powders and sprays that will give an instant tan lasting anywhere from one to ten days. These products can be found at your local CVS, spas and tanning salons.
Airbrush tanning and mystic tans are the newest addition to healthy tanning. These are services in which a person is sprayed by an airbrushing system that applies a thin layer of tanning solution on the skin. Avid tanners prefer this method over self-application products because it is more thorough, thus providing a more natural look.
A survey was conducted at Body Love Beauty Studio, which offers both airbrush and tanning products. The results displayed that 10 out of 15 women chose airbrush tanning over self-application products. With all of this information available concerning the tanning trend, there is still one UT student able to find a happy medium.
“I don’t go outside to tan; I tan because I am outside,” said UT student Courtney Daniels. “I enjoy the nice weather. Tanning is just the result of the time I spend outside.”
Attending a college that that has pool parties year round, students find it increasingly difficult to remember skin protection. Skin is one of the most delicate organs and is constantly growing and changing, which makes maintenance a necessity. Immediate damage isn’t always obvious. However, longer term exposure will eventually lead to permanent damage.
Katherine Lavacca can be reached at katherine.lavacca@theminaretonline.com