With the snow and freezing temperatures behind and summer approaching in a few short weeks, students are looking to start building a good base tan for the warmer months or keeping up their spring break glow.

“Tanning is the skin’s reaction to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. When skin is exposed to UV rays, cells called melanocytes produce the brown pigment melanin, which darkens the cells of the epidermis. This darkening of the skin cells is the skin’s natural – if imperfect – defense against further damage from UV radiation,” according to the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF).

However, what some students don’t realize is that the hours that they spend in the direct sun or tanning bed can cause permanent damage to their body and skin cells.

“The sun’s [ultraviolet] rays damage the DNA of the skin’s epidermal cells, triggering enzymes that race to repair the damage. However, these enzymes do not always repair the DNA successfully, and all this unrepaired damage can lead to mutations that increase the risk of skin cancer,” the SCF’s website said.

The website also mentions that repeated or constant sun exposure can cause photo aging, which is premature wrinkles, sagging skin and spots from sun damage.

According to the Livestrong Foundation website, “Long exposure to the sun may inflame your skin and cause it to swell. Even longer exposure results in burning, with blistering and peeling, and possibly heatstroke, which causes the temperature-regulating mechanism of your body to give up, which can make you very sick.”

“I don’t indoor or outdoor tan because I have fair skin and I know that I would get burned really easily,” Maret Delf, a junior at SMU said. “I do get a spray tan every once in a while though.”

Both indoor tanning and outdoor tanning harm skin cells. Although many indoor tanning salons like to say they are safer because they control the amount of UV exposure, the Skin Cancer Foundation says that indoor tanning can be just as, if not more, harmful than outdoor tanning.

“We know now that UVA is a carcinogen, and studies have revealed that tanning salons frequently exceed “safe” UV limits. Study after study has shown that sun bed tanning increases the risk of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers,” the Skin Cancer Foundation website stated.

Though tanning can be harmful to the skin, there are alternative ways to get that golden glow that so many people want when the weather gets warm. Sunless tanning is a good option for those wanting to protect their skin.

Sunless tanners can be purchased at drugstores and can be applied as a lotion. Students can also go to a tanning salon that provides UV-free airbrush tanning.

If students do want to tan outdoors or indoors, they should take precautions to protect their skin as much as possible. Students should wear and consistently reapply sunscreen with a high SPF, as well as wear sunglasses that block UV rays.

Students should not spend more than about an hour in the direct sunlight, especially during the midday hours when the sun is at its strongest.

If students do get a sunburn, they should treat it immediately and continue to treat it until the burn completely heals.

Students can apply aloe vera lotion several times a day to the burn. They should also hydrate the body by drinking fluids and plenty of water and apply antibacterial ointment if the burn blisters or swells.

Most importantly they should stay out of the sun and seek medical attention if the burn does not start to heal after a few days.