Does Having a Base Tan Protect You from Sun Damage?
Does that base tan you’ve picked up this summer mean you don’t need to worry about sunblock as much?
Someone asked dermatologists, and the answer is . . . no, you should still be slathering it on.
A base tan technically IS sun damage. And the amount of protection it offers is minimal. They say it’s like wearing SPF 4 at best.
That might be enough to help keep some people from getting burned. But just avoiding a sunburn doesn’t mean you’re in the clear.
Too much sun increases your chances of skin cancer down the road, even if you don’t get burned. It also causes premature aging, things like wrinkles and fine lines.
So, even with that nice base tan you’ve got, you should still be wearing sunblock for this last stretch of summer, and anytime you’re out in the sun. Dermatologists say at least SPF 30.