You may have heard in the news recently of the horrifying tale from a woman who applied essential oils before hitting the tanning beds and ended up with severe chemical burns. Scary! A month later, her skin is still healing from these burns. 

These skin horror stories may make you question how really do you keep your skin safe? May is Melanoma Awareness Month and Dr. Tanzi, Dr. Shah, Dr. Peters and the team at Washington D.C.’s Capital Laser & Skin Care are here to help inform you on what’s best to skip this summer and how to protect your skin.

Stay Away From the Tanning Beds

This can be a tricky one. Whether you are trying to get a “base tan” to start the summer or want a beautiful glow before going on vacation, it is way better to skip the tanning beds this year.

Tanning beds are more dangerous than you think. According to the Melanoma Foundation of New England, tanning beds emit 15 times more UV radiation than sun exposure, and from your first experience tanning, your chances of Melanoma increase by an incredible 59% (and continue to rise each subsequent session)!

Our very own Dr. Tanzi was diagnosed with Melanoma when she was in her thirties and for this reason, the dermatologists offer complimentary skin cancer evaluations at Capital Laser & Skin Care.

Don’t Forget the Sunscreen

This rule applies to everyone. Even if you have darker skin or never get a sunburn, sunscreen does more than preventing you from becoming a lobster on the hottest of days. Sunscreen protects your skin from UV rays that damage your skin and cause sun spots, wrinkles, and even skin cancer. Tossing the sunscreen out this summer increases your risk for all of these things and will make your skin age faster. Instead, lather up to ensure that your skin is happy and healthy this summer. Don’t forget to reapply as needed throughout the day! Years from now your skin will thank you by continuing to look youthful.

Do – Practice “Safe Sun” This Summer

Our team at Capital Laser & Skin Care encourage our patients to practice “safe sun,” which includes wearing hats, sun-protective clothing, sunscreen, and making wise decisions regarding sun exposure.

Protection might seem like a hassle at first, but it is no different than brushing your teeth or wearing a seatbelt. It is protecting your skin and ensuring that it will be healthy for years to come. If you already have sun damage, there are ways to reduce sun spots, wrinkles, enlarged pores, and brown spots. Drs. Tanzi, Shah, and Peters offer a number of treatments for sun damage including chemical peels, laser treatments, and microneedling.

Healthy Skin Starts Today at Capital Laser & Skin Care in Washington D.C.

At Capital Laser & Skin Care we want to ensure all of our patients are taking care of their skin this summer and protect their skin against sun damage and Melanoma. If you already have sun damage, you can schedule an initial consultation with our team to receive your complimentary skin cancer evaluation and discuss the various treatment options for sun damage.