In light of Oakville’s recent ban on teens using tanning beds, we asked Dr. Cheryl Rosen, a dermatologist at Toronto Western Hospital, about how best to keep our skin healthy, some major myths associated with base tans, drinking water for a healthy glow, popping vitamin D pills and more.

Do you support the bylaw passed in Oakville that bars anyone under the age of 18 from using commercial tanning beds?
I think that it’s fabulous yet very sad that it hasn’t happened at the provincial level. As much as we’ve been lobbying the government, there is a private member’s bill before the legislature but put forward by a private member, not the party in power. The Ministry [of Health] does not seem to want to take this ball and run with it, although they have in other provinces. In British Columbia, there was a municipality, Victoria, which went first and then the government got involved. So, maybe this will spur the government to do it, but terrific for Oakville. I think, because health care is provincial for the most part, there is a federal law governing tanning beds, but it really only looks after the light bulbs and not so much as to who can use them. We sort of figured out that this has to be province by province. So, Nova Scotia, Quebec and B.C. currently have a legislation.

Are youths at an increased risk of melanoma and other skin cancers by using tanning beds?
Absolutely. There can be a lot of damage to younger skin without any signs at all. If you look at a teenager, they may not look like they have sun damage, but if you did a biopsy of their facial skin, you would already see major changes.

Is it beneficial to build a base tan before a vacation to avoid a sunburn?
This whole base-tan business is a myth. You get an SPF of about four. Essentially, this is getting damaged to get more damaged. The tanning beds are ultraviolet (UV) radiation and ultraviolet A and B. It damages the DNA and causes mutations in the cells of the skin. Even though we’re able to fix them with DNA repair systems, the systems aren’t perfect. So mutations persist and ultimately lead to cancer.

What should we look for when choosing sunscreen and how often should we reapply?
You should look for one with an SPF of 30 or higher and for one that reads “broad spectrum.” The FDA [Food and Drug Administration] in the United States says you have to reapply every two hours. But there have been some papers that say if you’re not sweating or swimming, the sunscreen actually stays on longer. Starting with the spring and summer, putting on sunscreen should be right up there with brushing your teeth. It should definitely be part of your daily routine. In the winter it’s not as important unless you’re spending the day out skiing. There’s a lot of reflection of UV off snow.

If we’re not exposed to the sun, how can we get vitamin D?
Taking an oral supplement of vitamin D works just as well. There was a report by the Institute of Medicine in 2010 supporting what dermatologists have been saying all this time: that being, that the risk from sun exposure is not worth the benefit of the sun’s vitamin D. Taking an oral supplement is inexpensive, and all Canadians should be taking this in the winter because there’s not enough ultraviolet B to produce enough vitamin D for our skin.

Myth or fact: Does it take years for the effects of sun to show up on our skin?
This is a fact. It does take a while. The truth is, we’re seeing skin cancers in younger people, but it’s  accumulated sun exposure since they were very young. Later on over time, people develop wrinkling, which is sun induced, and solar elastosis, which is yellow bumpiness. There are brown spots as well, which people call liver spots but are really sun spots. Also, solar lentigines and skin cancer are big risks.

Myth or fact: If I drink eight glasses of water a day, will I have healthy, glowing skin?
This is absolutely a myth. We’re not sponges. It doesn’t go right from our gastrointestinal tracts to our skin. You have to really be dehydrated for it to be reflected in your skin. That’s not to say skin doesn’t get dry, it does. But moisturizers applied topically are the answer, not drinking water. Sorry!