However, sun exposure can have some negative health effects, both short-term and long-term. Sunscreens are the main tool for preventing sunburn and skin cancer. Still, many people avoid using them because they believe they prevent tanning.

Do SPF creams hinder the tanning process? Find out the answer in the following article and discover how you can tan safely.

The belief that you can't tan if you use sunscreen is a common myth. Therefore, people who want a deep tan tend to avoid sunscreen and expose themselves excessively to the sun. However, this habit comes with significant health risks.

The truth is that you can tan even if you use sunscreen, because SPF creams do not block 100% of the sun's rays. A lotion with SPF 30 provides 97% protection, while creams with SPF 50 block 98% of UV radiation, according to Dermatology & Skin Health.

Moreover, the SPF factor refers to the level of protection against UVB, the rays responsible for sunburn. The tanning process, however, depends on the ability of UVA rays to penetrate the skin. It is recommended though the use of a broad-spectrum product (UVB+UVA).

Therefore, regardless of the cream used, some sun rays will still reach the skin, which means you can still tan – though less intensely. Even if the process will be slower this way, you will enjoy a healthier, more even, and aesthetic tan. Why? Because you won't experience sunburns, dry skin, and peeling.

Since no SPF lotion can protect you 100%, it is not advisable to stay in the sun for long periods, even if you use sunscreen.

Excessive and unprotected exposure to ultraviolet radiation can have the following consequences on the body:

• Heatstroke – occurs when the body temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius. It manifests through confusion, skin redness, heart rhythm disturbances, nausea and vomiting, headaches, hot skin to the touch, irritability, speech disorders. Untreated, heatstroke can affect vital organs such as the brain and the heart, can induce seizures and coma, according to the Mayo Clinic;

• Sunburns – common among people who want a deep tan. It manifests through skin inflammation, which becomes painful to the touch, red, and hot. Blisters filled with fluid may also appear. Repeated sunburns in childhood and adolescence increase the risk of developing melanoma (a type of skin cancer) later in life, as the Mayo Clinic presents in the article "Sunburn";

• Skin cancer – as presented by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, sun exposure and sunburns damage the skin, promoting the appearance of cancerous lesions such as melanoma or non-melanoma (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma). Depending on the type of lesion, manifestations differ. For example, melanoma looks like a dark or black mole, uneven, asymmetrical, and with irregular edges, as shown by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Other types of cancerous lesions may have skin color or look like warts;

• Actinic (solar) keratosis – scaly, rough lesions covered by crust or similar to acne, small in size, skin-colored, pink, red, or brown. These are precancerous (can develop into cancer);

• Premature skin aging – in an attempt to have tanned and beautiful skin permanently, we accelerate skin aging processes, which has the opposite effect. People who expose themselves excessively to the sun develop wrinkles and pigment spots earlier. Also, the skin thickens and becomes rougher to the touch;

• Eye conditions – not only the skin suffers from excessive sun exposure. Eyes are also susceptible to developing conditions due to ultraviolet radiation. Cataracts, macular degeneration, pterygium are eye conditions that can occur in this context. Untreated, some of them can lead to vision loss;

• Immunosuppression – excessive sun exposure also affects the immune system's functioning. Thus, the body's defense capacity against pathogens decreases, making us more prone to infections. Also, immunosuppression reduces the immune system's ability to fight cancer cells.

Tanning beds are not a safer alternative; on the contrary. The UVA radiation emitted by these devices in a single session is much stronger than a day spent at the beach. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, tanning beds increase the risk of basal cell carcinoma by 24%, squamous cell carcinoma by 58%, and melanoma by 47%.

To achieve a natural tan without risks, follow these recommendations when exposing yourself to the sun:

• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least 30 SPF (or 50 SPF if you have very fair skin), including on the face and ears. Apply 15 minutes before going outside and then every 2 hours. Use a water-resistant formula;

• Avoid exposure between 10 AM and 4 PM, when the sun's rays are strongest. Instead of staying at the beach all day to tan quickly, expose yourself over several days, avoiding peak hours;

• Apply a lip balm with at least 30 SPF;

• Even if you use a beach umbrella, remember that ultraviolet radiation still reaches the skin. Also, clouds do not block UV rays, so it is not advisable to skip sunscreen even on cloudy days;

• Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with 100% UV protection (UV400);

• Hydrate your skin – exposure to high temperatures dehydrates the body and the skin. Drink enough water and apply a daily moisturizer for body and face;

• A safer alternative to tanning is to use self-tanning lotions, as Medical News Today mentions, since sun exposure is never risk-free.

• Remember that protection also comes from within. Therefore, include antioxidant-rich foods in your daily diet to offer protection against UV radiation. The main active compounds that exert this effect are beta-carotene and vitamin C. These are found in fresh, brightly colored fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli, leafy greens (kale, spinach, rocket), bell peppers, apricots, mango, pumpkin, melon, sweet potatoes, peaches, berries.

Consequently, we can tan with SPF, but the result will be more natural and slower. Moreover, if we use sunscreen, we’ll enjoy a range of health benefits, such as reducing the risk of sunburn and skin cancer.