Getting ready for spring break means a lot of you may be gearing up for fun in the sun with the perfect tan, but there are some tips to remember for getting the safest glow.
“The main thing is avoiding anything you're going to take internally to get a suntan or the appearance of a suntan. So, don't ingest anything, don't inject anything,” said dermatologist Cyndi Yag-Howard.
Yag-Howard said sitting under the sun on our beautiful Gulf Coast beaches is one of the worst ways to tan.
“You're getting damage to your DNA, so your cells are then going to be prone to getting skin cancer,” said Yag-Howard.
If you can’t resist a good beach day, Yag-Howard said sunscreen is key.
“If you are absolutely dead set on getting sun exposure, then the safest way to tan in that regard would be to slowly tan and continue to wear your sunscreen and protective clothing, so you would still always want to wear a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher,” said Yag-Howard.
If you want a safe tan, Yag-Howard said topical creams and foam mousse are the best way to get a tan.
“That is the only really safe way to do it. There have been no negative side effects known from the topical creams and foams and mousses,” said Yag-Howard.
If you don’t feel like applying self-tanner, Yag-Howard said the next best thing is a spray tan; just be careful with what you’re breathing in.
“My concern is when people do get spray tans, it's not safe to inhale or ingest. So, you really have to make sure that that's not happening on your face. You don't want that spray to get into your nostrils or into your mouth,” said Yag-Howard.
GoGLOW in Estero is taking a safer tan one step further, saying it has outsmarted the sun.
“Our solutions are very clean and very healthy for you. We have so many good skincare things within our solution. We have hyaluronic acid, vitamin E. Our main focus really is the overall health of our client’s skin,” said Caitlynn Hakes, who works at goGLOW in Estero.
Hakes said their airbrush tanning salon is a better alternative to regular spray tans. Plus, instead of a machine applying your tan, you have a professional at your service.
“We actually specialize in how to spray the tan. We learn how to spray with how the sun lands on the skin so it looks more natural, and we can fix it as we go and make sure it looks perfect. I feel like those home suntan solutions kind of turn out orangey, patchy and just don't look as good,” said Hakes.