1 00:00:05,049 --> 00:00:07,950 Jen: Welcome to the So That's Why podcast, where we unpack the 2 00:00:07,950 --> 00:00:09,729 science behind everyday questions. 3 00:00:09,729 --> 00:00:10,269 I'm Jen. 4 00:00:10,409 --> 00:00:10,909 Chris: I'm Chris. 5 00:00:11,009 --> 00:00:11,670 Jamie: And I'm Jamie. 6 00:00:12,170 --> 00:00:12,649 Jen: Okay. 7 00:00:12,929 --> 00:00:19,080 So picture two people lying on the same beach, the same hour, under the same sun. 8 00:00:19,189 --> 00:00:21,489 One gets up golden brown. 9 00:00:21,519 --> 00:00:26,500 The other one gets rough- gets up, and they are roughly the color of a tomato. 10 00:00:27,009 --> 00:00:30,899 So why do some people tan while others don't? 11 00:00:31,329 --> 00:00:32,090 Jamie: I'll be up front. 12 00:00:32,189 --> 00:00:33,469 I'm one of the annoying ones. 13 00:00:33,539 --> 00:00:35,769 I go brown just by walking out of the car. 14 00:00:35,769 --> 00:00:38,750 Chris, though, I think you're a tomato in this scenario, aren't you? 15 00:00:39,029 --> 00:00:40,519 Chris: Well, I've been called worse, let's be honest. 16 00:00:40,849 --> 00:00:42,209 But no, you- you're absolutely right, yeah. 17 00:00:42,429 --> 00:00:46,249 Two minutes of weak British sunshine, and I'm lightly poached. 18 00:00:46,659 --> 00:00:48,870 And here's the part that most people don't understand enough. 19 00:00:48,870 --> 00:00:54,239 So whether you can tan at all is really not about the sun or how hard 20 00:00:54,239 --> 00:00:57,889 you try, it's down to your genes, and it's settled before you were even born 21 00:00:58,684 --> 00:01:01,393 Jen: Yeah, and that's the bit that surprised me the most because we 22 00:01:01,393 --> 00:01:06,174 treat tanning like a skill that you build up over a summer, but 23 00:01:06,193 --> 00:01:12,803 you either can do it or you can't, and trying harder changes nothing. 24 00:01:13,084 --> 00:01:15,274 But we'll get to how that works later. 25 00:01:15,764 --> 00:01:17,463 Jamie: Before we do, can I check something? 26 00:01:17,533 --> 00:01:20,453 I've heard people s- something that I've heard people swear by for 27 00:01:20,454 --> 00:01:24,924 years, the idea of a base tan, the idea being that some people go on 28 00:01:24,924 --> 00:01:26,443 a sunbed before they go on holiday- 29 00:01:26,493 --> 00:01:26,773 Jen: Mm 30 00:01:26,793 --> 00:01:28,844 … Jamie: so that they don't burn when they're out on their holiday. 31 00:01:28,844 --> 00:01:29,973 Is, is there anything in that? 32 00:01:30,334 --> 00:01:34,434 Jen: Well, it's worth being, you know, fair to it because it isn't a 33 00:01:34,434 --> 00:01:36,774 total myth, but it might as well be. 34 00:01:37,283 --> 00:01:41,063 So a tan, it does add a little bit of protection. 35 00:01:41,323 --> 00:01:44,614 It's just nowhere near as much as people imagine. 36 00:01:44,844 --> 00:01:47,623 Chris: Yeah, you're absolutely right, and in sun protection we talk about 37 00:01:47,623 --> 00:01:50,053 SPF, which is the sun protection factor. 38 00:01:50,353 --> 00:01:54,744 So a tan is worth an SPF of two to four. 39 00:01:54,913 --> 00:01:55,144 Jen: Mm. 40 00:01:55,153 --> 00:01:59,873 Chris: So a tanned you therefore, um, being two to four times better 41 00:01:59,873 --> 00:02:01,463 protected than an untanned you. 42 00:02:02,073 --> 00:02:06,664 But let's be honest, the lowest SPF that anyone would ever sensibly recommend as 43 00:02:06,684 --> 00:02:08,904 meaningful is about 15 or, or higher. 44 00:02:08,904 --> 00:02:11,223 So SPF two to four is pointless. 45 00:02:11,553 --> 00:02:14,413 It's like holding a single sheet of paper over your head in a 46 00:02:14,413 --> 00:02:15,693 downpour and hoping for the best. 47 00:02:15,853 --> 00:02:18,524 Jamie: So you'll still get soaked, but you feel like you've tried. 48 00:02:18,803 --> 00:02:18,913 Jen: Yeah. 49 00:02:18,923 --> 00:02:19,243 Absolutely. 50 00:02:19,243 --> 00:02:19,903 Pretty much. 51 00:02:20,163 --> 00:02:24,624 I remember growing up in the '80s and they sold factor two and factor four in shops. 52 00:02:24,624 --> 00:02:25,083 Do you remember that? 53 00:02:25,084 --> 00:02:25,224 I 54 00:02:25,353 --> 00:02:25,733 Chris: do. 55 00:02:25,754 --> 00:02:28,123 It was like in carrot oil or olive oil- 56 00:02:28,184 --> 00:02:28,594 Jen: Yeah 57 00:02:28,614 --> 00:02:31,293 … Chris: so people literally kind of- Yeah Fried … frying themselves in the sun. 58 00:02:31,294 --> 00:02:32,063 It's, you know- 59 00:02:32,203 --> 00:02:33,434 Jen: Yeah, don't see that now … it's 60 00:02:33,434 --> 00:02:33,574 Chris: scary. 61 00:02:34,023 --> 00:02:37,943 Jen: So the real question is why some of us make a decent 62 00:02:37,953 --> 00:02:39,783 tan and others just go red. 63 00:02:39,783 --> 00:02:39,943 That 64 00:02:39,943 --> 00:02:44,133 Chris: is the question, and this all comes down to pigmentation. 65 00:02:44,143 --> 00:02:48,754 So to start things off for the fact fans out there- … did you know that whatever 66 00:02:48,754 --> 00:02:53,194 your skin tone, so, um, you have roughly the same density of pigment making 67 00:02:53,194 --> 00:02:59,013 cells in your skin, and it's about 1,200 cells per square millimeter of skin? 68 00:02:59,393 --> 00:03:02,213 So that's whether your skin is very fair or very dark. 69 00:03:02,544 --> 00:03:03,434 Jamie: So hang on. 70 00:03:03,633 --> 00:03:04,933 The same number for everyone. 71 00:03:04,934 --> 00:03:08,694 So it isn't that darker skin simply has more of these pigment cells. 72 00:03:08,734 --> 00:03:09,214 Chris: That's right. 73 00:03:09,413 --> 00:03:13,124 Jen: Yeah, and that's an assumption that, you know, almost everybody would 74 00:03:13,143 --> 00:03:18,033 make, but it actually, it's wrong because the same number, we all have 75 00:03:18,063 --> 00:03:20,264 the same number of pigment factories. 76 00:03:20,344 --> 00:03:23,183 Mm. The difference is what those factories are making. 77 00:03:23,813 --> 00:03:26,243 Chris: Exactly, and the pigment we're talking about here is melanin. 78 00:03:26,333 --> 00:03:30,423 So melanin is the skin's own sunscreen, but here's the important 79 00:03:30,434 --> 00:03:34,663 bit, that skin doesn't make more melanin because sunshine is healthy. 80 00:03:35,073 --> 00:03:38,803 It's making more melanin because the ultraviolet light has triggered a, a 81 00:03:38,803 --> 00:03:40,923 protective response after the event. 82 00:03:41,203 --> 00:03:43,503 Jamie: So the tan isn't the protection itself. 83 00:03:43,603 --> 00:03:47,373 It's the skin putting more protection in place after it's been exposed. 84 00:03:48,007 --> 00:03:50,178 Offering only very marginal extra protection. 85 00:03:50,257 --> 00:03:50,478 Chris: Mm-hmm. 86 00:03:50,788 --> 00:03:53,498 Jen: Yeah, and that's essentially what a tan is. 87 00:03:53,498 --> 00:03:58,427 So the UV damages the skin, and the tan is like the skin toughening up 88 00:03:58,427 --> 00:04:03,038 in response, which is why a tan, as it, you know, as nice as it might 89 00:04:03,038 --> 00:04:05,108 look, is never a sign of health. 90 00:04:05,337 --> 00:04:08,277 It's a sign that the skin's already taken a hit. 91 00:04:08,577 --> 00:04:10,778 Chris: And it's so important, isn't it, because that's the fundamental 92 00:04:10,778 --> 00:04:12,118 point that gets misunderstood. 93 00:04:12,207 --> 00:04:13,648 A tan is a repair job. 94 00:04:13,757 --> 00:04:15,698 It's not a glow of good health. 95 00:04:16,347 --> 00:04:19,427 Jamie: So every holiday photo where somebody says, "Look how healthy I look- 96 00:04:19,428 --> 00:04:21,427 "… is technically a close-up of skin damage. 97 00:04:21,428 --> 00:04:21,638 Chris: Yeah. 98 00:04:21,897 --> 00:04:25,497 Jen: Yeah, it is, but let's talk about the damage itself, 'cause 99 00:04:25,498 --> 00:04:27,158 it's quite specific, isn't it? 100 00:04:27,198 --> 00:04:30,328 And Chris, we know that this is your speciality area. 101 00:04:30,518 --> 00:04:30,868 Chris: It is. 102 00:04:30,908 --> 00:04:33,337 I've done a lot in the area of sun protection over the years, and, 103 00:04:33,377 --> 00:04:36,068 uh, I do feel passionate about it because of misinformation and 104 00:04:36,077 --> 00:04:37,697 just poor campaigns out there. 105 00:04:37,698 --> 00:04:38,018 Mm-hmm. 106 00:04:38,397 --> 00:04:41,357 So if we start with the what's going on chemistry-wise. 107 00:04:41,367 --> 00:04:45,467 So ultraviolet rays within sunlight have different wavelengths. 108 00:04:45,707 --> 00:04:49,107 The longer wavelengths are known as UVA, with the more 109 00:04:49,207 --> 00:04:51,797 medium wavelengths known as UVB. 110 00:04:51,797 --> 00:04:57,207 So UVA penetrates deep into the skin, with UVB penetrating into the outermost 111 00:04:57,248 --> 00:05:00,237 layers of the skin and triggering most of the burning and tanning that we see. 112 00:05:00,517 --> 00:05:04,367 Jamie: So the same light that burns Chris is the light that tans me. 113 00:05:04,617 --> 00:05:06,938 It just lands differently depending on who's underneath it. 114 00:05:07,578 --> 00:05:09,707 Jen: Yeah, and that's the key to the whole thing. 115 00:05:09,707 --> 00:05:15,468 So what UVB does is it causes damage inside your skin cells, and the cell 116 00:05:15,468 --> 00:05:20,378 notices, and then there's a protect- there's a protein called p53, which 117 00:05:20,378 --> 00:05:25,027 is also nicknamed the guardian of the genome, which I think is such a cool name. 118 00:05:25,318 --> 00:05:27,757 Spots it, and then that raises the alarm. 119 00:05:27,957 --> 00:05:30,237 Chris: Yeah, Matt'd be naming a new TV show The Guardian 120 00:05:30,237 --> 00:05:30,897 of the Genome, wouldn't he? 121 00:05:30,907 --> 00:05:31,457 Jen: Yeah, yeah. 122 00:05:31,917 --> 00:05:32,437 Chris: Volume three. 123 00:05:33,127 --> 00:05:36,057 Um, and that alarm that you mentioned is the signal that tells the pigment 124 00:05:36,057 --> 00:05:39,917 cells to start making more melanin, uh, to try and fend off that UV damage. 125 00:05:40,017 --> 00:05:42,717 But however, as we said earlier, the damage always comes first, 126 00:05:42,718 --> 00:05:43,987 so it's after the event. 127 00:05:44,148 --> 00:05:44,527 Jen: Mm-hmm. 128 00:05:44,538 --> 00:05:48,248 Jamie: So the tan literally can't happen unless the DNA gets damaged first. 129 00:05:48,428 --> 00:05:51,588 The damage is the thing that places the order for new melanin. 130 00:05:52,088 --> 00:05:54,968 Jen: And here's the precise bit because people muddle it. 131 00:05:54,978 --> 00:05:58,408 So tanning and burning aren't one thing at different strengths. 132 00:05:58,698 --> 00:06:00,998 They're two completely different processes. 133 00:06:00,998 --> 00:06:05,278 So a burn is your skin being injured and inflamed, while a tan 134 00:06:05,278 --> 00:06:07,388 is something active and protective. 135 00:06:07,628 --> 00:06:11,638 Your skin's manufacturing pigment, albeit in response to damage. 136 00:06:11,898 --> 00:06:16,398 So whether you can pull off that second one at all comes down to your 137 00:06:16,398 --> 00:06:18,948 genes, not to how much sun you get. 138 00:06:19,208 --> 00:06:22,624 Chris: That's right, and here's the catch, even for those who can do it and can tan. 139 00:06:22,624 --> 00:06:26,938 Mm. So a proper protective tan takes a couple of days to come in, uh, and 140 00:06:27,018 --> 00:06:30,058 come up fully, so it does nothing for the sun you're getting today. 141 00:06:30,708 --> 00:06:34,688 And whatever your, uh, you build in terms of that tan, you don't keep. 142 00:06:35,308 --> 00:06:37,568 Uh, plus it's only offering that very small amount of protection 143 00:06:37,568 --> 00:06:38,538 anyways we've already covered. 144 00:06:38,668 --> 00:06:39,018 Jen: Mm. 145 00:06:39,278 --> 00:06:41,548 Jamie: So it's protection that turns up late and leaves early. 146 00:06:41,638 --> 00:06:42,108 Classic. 147 00:06:42,118 --> 00:06:42,138 Yeah. 148 00:06:43,058 --> 00:06:43,238 Jen: Pretty much. 149 00:06:43,248 --> 00:06:43,268 Yeah. 150 00:06:44,218 --> 00:06:47,498 And your skin replaces itself anyway, doesn't it, every four weeks. 151 00:06:47,498 --> 00:06:53,518 So those pigmented cells that tan, those cells get pushed up, shed, and swapped for 152 00:06:53,518 --> 00:06:58,888 fresh pale ones, which is why a tan fades and why it's never lasting protection. 153 00:06:59,718 --> 00:07:01,458 Jamie: Okay, but here's what I still don't get. 154 00:07:01,588 --> 00:07:03,827 I go brown just by standing near a window. 155 00:07:04,168 --> 00:07:05,808 Chris goes the color of a London bus. 156 00:07:06,458 --> 00:07:09,638 Same number of cells, same alarm, so why the difference? 157 00:07:10,378 --> 00:07:12,518 Chris: Yeah, I really do go the color of a London bus, actually. 158 00:07:12,518 --> 00:07:13,537 It's quite, quite depressing really. 159 00:07:13,638 --> 00:07:17,098 But anyway, um, so this comes down to the most critical point when 160 00:07:17,098 --> 00:07:20,037 it comes to melanin, that there isn't one melanin, there are two. 161 00:07:20,557 --> 00:07:22,978 There is eumelanin and pheomelanin. 162 00:07:23,298 --> 00:07:26,708 So eumelanin is the darker one, uh, it's darker in color, whereas 163 00:07:27,438 --> 00:07:28,828 pheomelanin is more reddish to yellow. 164 00:07:29,368 --> 00:07:34,118 So they behave completely differently, and if you imagine your, um, pigment 165 00:07:34,128 --> 00:07:38,968 cells as kind of little printing shops, the question isn't how many you've got, 166 00:07:39,488 --> 00:07:41,968 it's which melanin cartridges there are. 167 00:07:42,438 --> 00:07:44,218 Jamie: Eumelanin and pheomelanin. 168 00:07:44,218 --> 00:07:47,168 One, one might almost say Jamie melanin and Chris melanin. 169 00:07:47,727 --> 00:07:48,267 Catchy. 170 00:07:48,278 --> 00:07:48,298 Yeah. 171 00:07:48,648 --> 00:07:50,018 The dark one and the red one. 172 00:07:50,018 --> 00:07:51,598 Chris: That's so harsh, isn't it? 173 00:07:51,598 --> 00:07:51,667 But fair. 174 00:07:52,928 --> 00:07:54,648 Jen: It's nice that I'm escaping this all. 175 00:07:55,828 --> 00:08:01,598 So yeah, eumelanin is the dense, dark pigment, and it's the more protective 176 00:08:01,598 --> 00:08:07,687 of the two, and that absorbs and safely dissipates more UV than pheomelanin. 177 00:08:08,107 --> 00:08:12,198 Jamie: So eumelanin is the form of melanin that gives you the bronze tone and does 178 00:08:12,198 --> 00:08:16,318 actually contribute some protection, the one I'm evidently running in my body. 179 00:08:16,418 --> 00:08:19,944 Chris: That's it, and the kinda red-yellow corner is pheomelanin, and 180 00:08:19,944 --> 00:08:21,458 that's the one I'm more loaded with. 181 00:08:21,768 --> 00:08:26,417 But there's a, a thing here to take into account that not only is pheomelanin much 182 00:08:26,418 --> 00:08:31,947 less effective at dealing with UV light, um, but when sunlight hits pheomelanin, 183 00:08:31,978 --> 00:08:35,737 it can actually trigger oxidative stress, contribute to further damage. 184 00:08:36,398 --> 00:08:39,018 Jen: Which is, it's almost unfair, isn't it? 185 00:08:39,018 --> 00:08:39,038 I know. 186 00:08:39,038 --> 00:08:43,048 So for some people, the pigment isn't even neutral, it just works 187 00:08:43,048 --> 00:08:45,138 against them even without much sun. 188 00:08:45,678 --> 00:08:48,428 Jamie: So Chris's skin isn't just failing him, it's quietly 189 00:08:48,428 --> 00:08:49,897 making things a bit worse. 190 00:08:50,460 --> 00:08:51,850 No wonder you go off like a warning light 191 00:08:52,410 --> 00:08:53,190 Chris: Yes, thanks, Jamie. 192 00:08:53,370 --> 00:08:55,760 The man who stands near a window and tans anyway. 193 00:08:55,820 --> 00:08:56,780 You know, we're all delighted for you. 194 00:08:57,260 --> 00:08:57,790 Jen: Love it. 195 00:08:58,580 --> 00:09:02,330 So Chris, what actually determines the type and the 196 00:09:02,330 --> 00:09:04,050 amount of melanin in your skin? 197 00:09:04,350 --> 00:09:06,710 Chris: Yeah, so this is largely down to your genes. 198 00:09:06,810 --> 00:09:09,880 So certain genes influence whether your pigment cells produce more 199 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:12,050 eumelanin or more pheomelanin. 200 00:09:12,550 --> 00:09:16,740 So people with more pheomelanin have, uh, fair skin, freckles. 201 00:09:16,740 --> 00:09:21,470 They're often red or blonde-haired, and are much more likely to burn than tan. 202 00:09:22,050 --> 00:09:25,240 Jamie: So somewhere in Chris's genetics, there's a switch firmly in 203 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:29,900 the pheomelanin on position, but the eumelanin switch is pretty much off. 204 00:09:30,190 --> 00:09:32,820 Chris: Yeah, that's pretty accurate, Jamie, and it's the ultimate 205 00:09:32,820 --> 00:09:36,110 answer here, uh, to the question of why you tan and why I don't. 206 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:40,750 So when sun hits, your skin can crank out the darker eumelanin pigment. 207 00:09:40,990 --> 00:09:44,680 You go that kinda nice bronze color and have a bit of protection, whereas 208 00:09:44,680 --> 00:09:47,920 mine is predominantly pheomelanin, so I won't go particularly brown, 209 00:09:47,980 --> 00:09:49,640 but I most definitely will burn. 210 00:09:50,130 --> 00:09:52,960 Jamie: So it was never that I tan harder than you. 211 00:09:53,230 --> 00:09:55,260 Your skin's just got nothing to tan with. 212 00:09:55,470 --> 00:10:00,670 Jen: Yeah, that's the heart of it, and the extreme version is the classic redhead. 213 00:10:00,670 --> 00:10:06,040 So around 1 in 20 make almost entirely pheomelanin, the reddish 214 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:09,920 pigment, and barely any of the protective eumelanin, so they burn 215 00:10:10,220 --> 00:10:12,540 and freckle however careful they are. 216 00:10:12,540 --> 00:10:17,690 So it's not willpower failing, it's just the melanin that they were handed. 217 00:10:17,809 --> 00:10:18,179 Chris: That's it. 218 00:10:18,180 --> 00:10:21,110 I mean, I always used to joke that I've got so many freckles and they, I get 219 00:10:21,140 --> 00:10:22,389 millions more when I go in the sun. 220 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:24,629 The only way I'd actually ever get a tan is if they all join up- 221 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:26,000 Yeah … I've got one big freckle. 222 00:10:26,580 --> 00:10:26,600 Yeah. 223 00:10:26,700 --> 00:10:30,520 Um, but dermatologists often describe skin using what's 224 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:32,319 known as the Fitzpatrick scale. 225 00:10:32,510 --> 00:10:36,749 So this grades your skin from one to six based on how readily it burns and 226 00:10:36,750 --> 00:10:38,239 tans- Mm … in response to sunlight. 227 00:10:38,239 --> 00:10:44,109 So, um, a Fitzpatrick type one is very fair skin, uh, that almost always burns 228 00:10:44,149 --> 00:10:48,000 and rarely tans, while type six at the other end of the scale is deeply 229 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:49,999 pigmented skin that rarely burns. 230 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:54,570 Mm. And this Fitzpatrick scale was, um, originally developed in the '70s 231 00:10:55,009 --> 00:10:58,630 to help doctors choose safe doses for certain light-based treatments. 232 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,399 Jamie: So where do the three of us land on this scale? 233 00:11:01,820 --> 00:11:04,560 Chris: Yeah, so on the Fitzpatrick scale, I'm a one, probably 234 00:11:04,740 --> 00:11:06,760 unsurprisingly, maybe borderline two. 235 00:11:06,790 --> 00:11:09,650 There are some people a, a little bit paler than me, believe it or not. 236 00:11:10,260 --> 00:11:14,030 Um, so I've got … There's very little of the dark eumelanin pigment, 237 00:11:14,460 --> 00:11:18,480 so I've got no real tanning ability, almost no built-in protection. 238 00:11:18,490 --> 00:11:23,680 So my bare skin is about an SPF of two maximum, so pointless. 239 00:11:24,830 --> 00:11:26,020 Jen: Oh, it's not that bad, Chris. 240 00:11:27,470 --> 00:11:32,150 I'm a, I'm probably a two, so I'm not quite as fair-skinned as Chris. 241 00:11:32,190 --> 00:11:37,020 And Jamie, I'd put you somewhere around about a three or maybe a four with more 242 00:11:37,020 --> 00:11:42,620 eumelanin and the greater ability to tan and more natural protection from the UV. 243 00:11:42,620 --> 00:11:49,340 Um, and I think in very dark skin around, they're around a Fitzpatrick type six, 244 00:11:49,620 --> 00:11:53,310 I think researchers have estimated the natural protection may be roughly 245 00:11:53,310 --> 00:11:59,910 equivalent to an SPF of around 10 to 13, but that's only, like, a rough comparison. 246 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:02,770 Jamie: Which still isn't much compared to a bottle of factor 50. 247 00:12:02,790 --> 00:12:03,330 Jen: Mm. 248 00:12:03,580 --> 00:12:06,780 Chris: It's so true, and that's why some people get caught out by this because 249 00:12:06,780 --> 00:12:10,460 people can assume that they've got darker skin tones, that they're protected. 250 00:12:10,460 --> 00:12:13,680 But as I say, SPF 13 at a max, it's not a lot, is it? 251 00:12:13,680 --> 00:12:14,060 Jamie: No. 252 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:18,330 Chris: Uh, so even the best built-in protection sits way below the lowest 253 00:12:18,340 --> 00:12:21,940 sun protection factor that we would ever recommend, which is, I'd say 15, but 254 00:12:21,940 --> 00:12:23,490 it's probably more likely 25 these days. 255 00:12:23,490 --> 00:12:28,750 Mm. So no skin type, wherever you sit on the Fitzpatrick scale, does the job alone. 256 00:12:29,370 --> 00:12:32,070 Jen: And it's important to point out, isn't it, that every one of 257 00:12:32,070 --> 00:12:35,890 those skin types can still burn, and every one can be damaged. 258 00:12:35,890 --> 00:12:42,200 So the old version of the scale claimed that the darker skin never burns or 259 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:44,160 gets damaged, which simply isn't true. 260 00:12:44,270 --> 00:12:47,210 Chris: It's not, and that myth does real harm, doesn't it? 261 00:12:47,210 --> 00:12:49,640 Mm. Because people with darker skin are often led to believe 262 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:50,900 they, they don't need to worry. 263 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:55,390 Um, but it's really serious, so skin cancers can end up getting spotted later. 264 00:12:55,470 --> 00:12:55,720 Yeah. 265 00:12:56,040 --> 00:13:01,260 Um, so the added protection is real, but in the scheme of things, the uplift versus 266 00:13:01,260 --> 00:13:03,090 paler skin types is not that big a deal. 267 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:07,759 Jamie: So I never burn quietly turns into I never check, and that's the 268 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:09,050 bit that actually carries a risk. 269 00:13:09,350 --> 00:13:12,070 Jen: Yeah, it is, and it works the other way, too. 270 00:13:12,070 --> 00:13:17,750 So I'm pretty sure even Jamie would burn if you overdo it, um, but you 271 00:13:17,750 --> 00:13:19,570 just get less of a warning sign. 272 00:13:19,709 --> 00:13:20,569 Jamie: Yes, that's true. 273 00:13:20,619 --> 00:13:21,199 I definitely do. 274 00:13:21,199 --> 00:13:26,229 So given some of us, namely no Chrises, are preset to burn, what actually works? 275 00:13:26,229 --> 00:13:30,699 Because never go outside is rather a boring, um, way to live your life. 276 00:13:30,819 --> 00:13:31,149 Jen: Yeah. 277 00:13:31,319 --> 00:13:34,649 Chris: Yeah, and I am unashamedly Captain Sensible when it 278 00:13:34,649 --> 00:13:35,549 comes to safety in the sun. 279 00:13:35,549 --> 00:13:38,309 I know you call me that anyway, but this is definitely a pet topic for me. 280 00:13:38,309 --> 00:13:38,479 Jen: You are 281 00:13:38,599 --> 00:13:39,529 owning it today. 282 00:13:39,549 --> 00:13:39,979 Chris: Absolutely. 283 00:13:40,109 --> 00:13:43,589 I, yeah, I do… I genuinely feel very passionately about this- Mm … um, 'cause 284 00:13:43,589 --> 00:13:46,809 I've done a lot of work in this area, and sadly I've seen the, the impact of 285 00:13:46,809 --> 00:13:48,679 sun damage, and it's, it's catastrophic. 286 00:13:49,179 --> 00:13:50,739 Um, so back to your question, Jamie. 287 00:13:50,759 --> 00:13:55,149 The first point to reinforce is that the tan itself isn't doing the protecting. 288 00:13:55,549 --> 00:13:58,499 So if you are spending time in the sun, you need something that 289 00:13:58,499 --> 00:13:59,769 genuinely is doing that protecting. 290 00:13:59,769 --> 00:14:03,499 So I'd recommend a, a good broad spectrum sunscreen, meaning it 291 00:14:03,499 --> 00:14:08,799 protects against both UVA and UVB, at an SPF I would say of at least 25. 292 00:14:08,809 --> 00:14:12,339 Some people say 15, but I'd go for 25 minimum. 293 00:14:12,869 --> 00:14:15,369 And really importantly is reapply it during the day. 294 00:14:15,379 --> 00:14:18,369 So if you're on holiday and you've been swimming, you must reapply. 295 00:14:18,369 --> 00:14:19,069 It's gonna come off. 296 00:14:19,099 --> 00:14:21,699 Even if it says it's water-resistant- Mm … they're not really. 297 00:14:21,719 --> 00:14:22,399 They're not that good. 298 00:14:22,919 --> 00:14:25,899 And if you're sweating a lot, I dunno about you, I always tend to burn on 299 00:14:26,239 --> 00:14:28,649 the forehead- Yeah … 'cause you- I just sweat it off the- Yeah, yeah 300 00:14:28,649 --> 00:14:29,979 the kind of receding hairline I've got. 301 00:14:30,259 --> 00:14:30,279 Um- 302 00:14:30,749 --> 00:14:33,649 Jen: Yeah, plus that you can do, like, the obvious things, can't you? 303 00:14:33,649 --> 00:14:39,109 Like wearing extra clothing, um, sitting in the shade, which do even more. 304 00:14:39,339 --> 00:14:43,559 And consider the timing when you're sitting out because the midday sun, 305 00:14:43,569 --> 00:14:45,529 that is strong stuff, isn't it? 306 00:14:45,859 --> 00:14:51,299 And, you know, it's safe to say, isn't it, that, um, the best version of all of these 307 00:14:51,339 --> 00:14:53,089 tips are the ones you'll actually do. 308 00:14:53,089 --> 00:14:56,689 There's no point in buying a fancy sunscreen that you 309 00:14:56,689 --> 00:14:58,129 leave in the bathroom drawer- 310 00:14:58,209 --> 00:14:58,459 Chris: Absolutely 311 00:14:58,479 --> 00:15:00,959 … Jen: and don't use because- Yeah … obviously that protects nobody. 312 00:15:01,199 --> 00:15:03,909 Jamie: Now, I mentioned them before, but I'd like us to talk about sunbeds. 313 00:15:03,909 --> 00:15:04,869 Jen: Mm-hmm. 314 00:15:05,279 --> 00:15:08,219 Chris: Yeah, and this is another thing, I'm getting on my soapbox today, but I'm, 315 00:15:08,229 --> 00:15:10,269 I'm gonna be unashamedly blunt about. 316 00:15:10,319 --> 00:15:14,329 Contrary to what some people believe, sunbeds are not a gentler option. 317 00:15:14,619 --> 00:15:19,789 They're very concentrated UV, and the real danger is the damage is mostly invisible. 318 00:15:19,809 --> 00:15:22,899 You don't get that kind of sunburn, uh, trigger to show 319 00:15:22,899 --> 00:15:23,839 you that something's happening. 320 00:15:24,159 --> 00:15:25,409 The harm is happening underneath. 321 00:15:25,479 --> 00:15:25,849 Jen: Mm. 322 00:15:26,189 --> 00:15:29,679 Chris: Um, and so many young people u- are using sunbeds too now. 323 00:15:29,689 --> 00:15:31,959 W- it's back in fashion worryingly. 324 00:15:32,359 --> 00:15:35,769 But actually starting young sharply raises the risk of 325 00:15:35,769 --> 00:15:37,419 serious skin cancer as you age. 326 00:15:37,489 --> 00:15:39,999 Mm. So in my personal opinion, sunbeds should be banned. 327 00:15:40,279 --> 00:15:40,429 Jen: Mm. 328 00:15:40,439 --> 00:15:43,449 Jamie: So when it comes to sunbeds, that single sheet of newspaper in the rainstorm 329 00:15:43,449 --> 00:15:47,029 we referred to earlier is now actually a sheet of newspaper soaked in petrol. 330 00:15:47,039 --> 00:15:47,059 Yeah. 331 00:15:47,549 --> 00:15:48,169 Good to know. 332 00:15:48,549 --> 00:15:49,039 Jen: Yeah. 333 00:15:49,779 --> 00:15:53,209 And there's another myth that some of, you know, some people might have 334 00:15:53,209 --> 00:15:58,669 heard, which is, you know, someone pale moves somewhere, like sunny, like Spain 335 00:15:58,669 --> 00:16:03,479 or Australia, and a few years later they look, like, permanently tanned. 336 00:16:03,939 --> 00:16:07,489 Surely that proves you can build up a tan over time. 337 00:16:07,809 --> 00:16:09,989 Chris: Well, you think so, and it is the most convincing one, isn't it? 338 00:16:09,989 --> 00:16:10,769 Mm. But it is a myth. 339 00:16:10,809 --> 00:16:11,919 It's actually almost back to what I was saying about getting 340 00:16:11,919 --> 00:16:14,289 one freckle and it joining up- 341 00:16:14,389 --> 00:16:14,669 Jen: Yeah 342 00:16:14,669 --> 00:16:15,529 … Chris: to produce the tan. 343 00:16:15,539 --> 00:16:21,119 Because if those people are a, a type I or a II on the Fitzpatrick scale, they 344 00:16:21,119 --> 00:16:25,429 haven't built a tan or trained their skin to somehow tan because they can't. 345 00:16:25,429 --> 00:16:27,179 Y- the, our biol- biology doesn't allow it. 346 00:16:27,179 --> 00:16:30,019 So what you're actually seeing on those people who are lucky enough to 347 00:16:30,019 --> 00:16:34,739 go and emigrate to the sun- … is years of accumulated UV injury. 348 00:16:34,969 --> 00:16:38,379 So the skin is going darker in, in more and more patches and patchy places. 349 00:16:38,499 --> 00:16:38,849 Jen: Mm. 350 00:16:38,919 --> 00:16:40,829 Jamie: And I suppose those patches don't come alone. 351 00:16:41,589 --> 00:16:41,919 Chris: No. 352 00:16:41,989 --> 00:16:42,499 Jen: No. 353 00:16:42,549 --> 00:16:47,849 They come with rough, leathery skin, wrinkles, age spots, 354 00:16:48,149 --> 00:16:49,839 a patchy, uneven color. 355 00:16:50,029 --> 00:16:54,489 It isn't that your skin is learning to cope, it's the skin being worn down, 356 00:16:54,549 --> 00:16:57,999 and unlike a real tan, it doesn't fade. 357 00:16:58,289 --> 00:16:58,819 Chris: That's right. 358 00:16:58,819 --> 00:17:02,109 I mean, you've, you've basically worn down its resilience to the sun. 359 00:17:02,339 --> 00:17:02,359 Yeah. 360 00:17:02,459 --> 00:17:04,849 Um, and it's, it's effectively a record of damage. 361 00:17:04,879 --> 00:17:06,249 It's not a healthy bronze. 362 00:17:06,739 --> 00:17:10,099 And the thing is, it carries a real risk of skin cancer down the line. 363 00:17:10,219 --> 00:17:10,379 Jen: Mm. 364 00:17:10,399 --> 00:17:14,069 Jamie: So you generally genuinely can't train your skin into it. 365 00:17:14,469 --> 00:17:17,719 It's the one thing where trying harder actively makes things worse. 366 00:17:18,149 --> 00:17:18,449 Jen: Yeah. 367 00:17:19,279 --> 00:17:23,549 And before anyone swears off daylight forever, a bit of scor- 368 00:17:24,309 --> 00:17:25,599 a bit of sun isn't the enemy. 369 00:17:25,609 --> 00:17:30,049 So your skin uses UV to make vitamin D. You can, you know, you 370 00:17:30,069 --> 00:17:34,759 can get that, um, more safely from food or a supplement though, than 371 00:17:34,889 --> 00:17:36,379 actually baking yourself in the sun. 372 00:17:36,619 --> 00:17:37,019 Chris: Yeah. 373 00:17:37,059 --> 00:17:39,499 And, and it's so important 'cause w- we're not anti-sun, are we? 374 00:17:39,499 --> 00:17:39,899 Yeah At all. 375 00:17:39,929 --> 00:17:42,449 So yeah, there, there are loads of health benefits to the sun. 376 00:17:42,449 --> 00:17:44,079 Mm. It's all about safety. 377 00:17:44,209 --> 00:17:44,329 Mm-hmm. 378 00:17:44,329 --> 00:17:45,549 That, that's what we're talking about here. 379 00:17:46,009 --> 00:17:50,029 And, um, when it comes to vitamin D, it's something that we covered in the, 380 00:17:50,039 --> 00:17:54,109 the vitamin D episode of the podcast, and it's really important for people to 381 00:17:54,109 --> 00:17:58,459 understand this, that you only need a little bit of UV exposure to stimulate 382 00:17:58,589 --> 00:17:59,809 vitamin D production in the skin. 383 00:17:59,899 --> 00:18:03,949 Mm. So the final myth I'm gonna bust here is- The concept that applying 384 00:18:03,989 --> 00:18:09,879 a, like a really high SPF sun product will inhibit the skin's ability to 385 00:18:09,949 --> 00:18:12,279 produce vitamin D, that's not the case. 386 00:18:12,379 --> 00:18:16,799 Mm. You only need a very small amount of UV exposure to produce that vitamin D. 387 00:18:17,589 --> 00:18:21,859 Um, but as you say, Jen, you know, you can get vitamin D from foods or supplements 388 00:18:21,859 --> 00:18:26,389 too, meaning you can do it safely without kind of risking overexposure to the sun 389 00:18:26,869 --> 00:18:29,459 in that quest for good vitamin D levels. 390 00:18:30,499 --> 00:18:34,329 Jen: Okay, so pulling it all together, we've got the same number of cells, 391 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:39,999 but the pigment they're set to make, the eumelanin or pheomelanin, is mostly 392 00:18:39,999 --> 00:18:41,939 fixed by your genes before you were born. 393 00:18:42,459 --> 00:18:44,399 Jamie: And the tan itself was never the healthy bit. 394 00:18:44,429 --> 00:18:48,039 It's just the skin reacting to damage that has already been done. 395 00:18:48,139 --> 00:18:51,069 Jen: So here's the clean answer to where we started. 396 00:18:51,099 --> 00:18:53,849 Why do some people tan while others don't? 397 00:18:54,149 --> 00:18:59,679 Because tanning ability is genetic, set by how much of the dark 398 00:18:59,679 --> 00:19:01,879 protective pigment your skin can make. 399 00:19:02,339 --> 00:19:08,279 Um, plenty of it and you tan, very little and the same sun just burns you instead. 400 00:19:08,729 --> 00:19:13,239 There's no such thing as a safe tan, and you sadly can't train 401 00:19:13,239 --> 00:19:15,369 your skin into making one either. 402 00:19:16,039 --> 00:19:17,709 So that's it for this week. 403 00:19:17,779 --> 00:19:20,059 Make sure you hit that subscribe button. 404 00:19:20,059 --> 00:19:24,209 We're unpacking the science behind everyday questions each week. 405 00:19:24,509 --> 00:19:27,899 Tell us in the comments what you'd like us to explore next. 406 00:19:28,239 --> 00:19:29,769 Thanks for geeking out with us. 407 00:19:30,139 --> 00:19:31,669 But for now, that's it from me. 408 00:19:31,999 --> 00:19:32,359 Jamie: That's it 409 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:32,729 Chris: from me. 410 00:19:33,079 --> 00:19:33,849 Jamie: That's it from me. 411 00:19:34,159 --> 00:19:34,859 Jen: Bye for now