The Burning truth

Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection

Don’t get burned by tanning myths:

Tan Myth: There is a common misconception that a tan acts as the body’s natural protection against sunburn.

The Burning Truth: A tan is the body’s response to injury from UV rays, showing that damage has been done. A “base tan” only provides a sun protection factor (SPF) of about 3 or less, which does little to protect you from future UV exposure.