\r\n \r\n New sunbed alert: UV rays penetrate far deep into the skin than previously thought
\r\nAnother Daily Mail Article I\'ve wasted my time replying to so I\'ve posted a copy here as well in case the Daily Mail version gets moderated off.
\r\nHopefully you\'ll find the original reply still here.
\r\nIs it time to ban sunbeds?
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\r\nAbsolutely not.
\r\nWe have a population suffering from Vitamin D deficiency because health professionals have scared them from SUN exposure.
\r\nSunbeds helps skin produce vitamin D if the tubes used have high UVB output.
\r\nMost people just need to restore their natural level of sunscreen protection.
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\r\nAlthough it may seem strange to supplement with Vitamin D3 before you start using sun/sunbeds for more vitamin d it acts to enhance your skins natural protection and people with a high vitamin D status tan quicker.
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\r\nOmega 3 from fish oil (the concentrated forms with high EPA and DHA numbers are best) helps photoprotection because it makes skin less vulnerable to inflammation. It\'s the inflammation that allow iron to escape from blood cells and it\'s iron that causes oxidative damage that initiates cancer. Remember with all interventions it take time for them to work through to your skin. So allow 8~12 weeks of daily omega 3/vitamin D3 before your sun holiday/sunbed use.
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\r\nAs well as fish oil you may want to consider krill oil (a good source of astaxanthin) or perhaps choose salmon oil as your fish oil source as that also contains astaxanthin. astaxanthin is a particularly good protection from phototoxicity as it contains carotenoids that form a protective barrier on the surface of the skin.
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\r\nLycopene (from tomatoes) works the same way, There was a TV program that did a lycopene trial and measured the improved skin UV protection.
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\r\nAnother route that can be added to your natural sunscreen protocol is green tea polyphenols. If you can\'t stand drinking green tea then the capsules work, but it;s worth persevering with Green Tea as it improves thermogenesis (help brown adipose tissue burn surplus calories faster) Not only does green tea work as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent it\'s also got cancer inhibiting properties so it\'s worth a try. You could also apply green tea directly to the skin to achieve some of the benefits (not the improved thermogenisis though).
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\r\nYou may have heard of resveratrol that comes from red wine is an antioxidant and so it\'s not surprising we find red wine either bathing or washing skin in red wine will be a route for those with a problem drinking it.
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\r\nIn the same way DARK CHOCOLATE (more than 75% cocoa solids,but the stronger the better) works the same way though do eat it, you\'d look a fool smearing it all over your skin.
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\r\nOne of the other ingredients of red wine apart from resveratrol is melatonin. Melatonin is a natural anti oxidant that is made by the pineal gland particularly after BRIGHT LIGHT exposure daytime, subdued lighting in the evening and total darkness at night. So from dawn to dusk our skin should make the anti-inflammatory antioxidant Vitamin D if exposed to uvb and from dusk to dawn our pineal gland should be producing the anti-inflammatory anti oxidant melatonin. There is a free software program FLUX that subdues the brightness of your PC monitor to enhance melatonin secretion in th evening. You could also consider time release melatonin supplements particularly if you are older or have trouble sleeping.
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\r\nI should also say that regular SHORT non burn UV exposure hardens the skin so less damage occurs. If you just used a sunbed for a FEW MINUTES 2 times a week over winter you will find your skin much better able to withstand natural sunlight come the summer.
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\r\nAlso "Modulation of the immune system by UV radiation: more than just the effects of vitamin D?" shows other benefits from UV exposure not just through vitamin d.
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\r\nBear in mind humans evolved living near naked outdoors.As humans moved away from the equator those with the least hair and palest skin survived, so rather than hiding from UV we should be considering why modern human skin is now maladapted to it\'s natural environment.
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\r\nClue the increase in skin cancers track increase in sunscreen sales and use of omega 6 oils.
\r\nI\'ve not littered this post with links to the science papers that prove all the above suggestions. If anyone wants please ask and I\'ll add a list of them.\r\n

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