Additionally, does sunscreen block the benefits from the sun? Can you still get a tan?
In: Chemistry
Basically, no, if the sunscreen is doing it’s job you can’t get a tan.
Tanning (and burning) is caused by ultraviolet light damaging your skin. Sunscreen works by being very reflective to ultraviolet…it’s basically ultraviolet paint. It’s just (mostly) transparent at colours we can see so it doesn’t look any different to us. If you see ultraviolet, like a bee, sunscreen would look like bright “white” stripes…it reflects almost all the UV.
Since the UV is reflected, not absorbed, it doesn’t damage your skin, doesn’t trigger a tanning response, and prevents sunburn.
Latest Answers